Today, we gather to remember and honor the life of Professor K’Olale, a visionary thinker and tireless advocate for social justice. Though he is no longer with us, his legacy lives on through the countless lives he touched and the movements he inspired. I am here on behalf of the Amnesty International Kenya movement and with me here today are university students from Maseno University as well as prisoners of conscience, who much like Prof K’olale, continue to believe and fight for the rights of Every Kenyan to live a life free from oppression.
Professor K’Olale was a true radical, a political philosopher who refused to stay silent in the face of injustice. He believed in the power of education to transform lives and dedicated his career to fighting against unfair exploitation of labor and oppression of lecturers.
His passion and commitment to social justice were evident in his actions, including his leading of university teaching and non-teaching staff in a job boycott in 2017. This brave act may have paralyzed learning in higher institutions across the country, but it also served as a wake-up call to those in power and inspired many others to join the fight for fair labor practices. His activism and willingness to stand up against oppression, even at personal cost, is a testament to his commitment to his beliefs.
We may never be able to fully measure the impact that Professor K’Olale had on our world, but we can be certain that his legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. Today, we honor his memory and commit ourselves to carrying on his work, to fight for a more just and equitable society.
Although we mourn his passing, we must also celebrate the legacy of Prof. Muga Kolale. He was a man whose work made a difference in institutions of higher learning and his ideas and activism will continue to inspire and influence us. On Behalf of the Amnesty International Kenya 30,000 strong movement, we would like to pass our gratitude to the family of Prof and call upon all Kenyans to emulate the example set by Prof. K’olale.
May His Soul Rest In Eternal Peace