“We are a disillusioned youth, life is hard, we can barely support ourselves on campus, indulging helps us to forget some of these things,” says Kamau.
I ask to speak with one of the ladies. Kamau walks in and talks to them. Soon a young lady in her early 20’s comes out, half staggering, half walking. She leans on a wall as I try to figure what I should ask her.
Sarah is an Economics student. She says she joined university as an innocent girl, never having tasted alcohol but she confesses she drinks regularly, “too regular” she adds
I ask her what she thinks the worst can happen. She smiles and says nothing bad can happen. I later learn from their friends that the four of them will have a threesome with the men, and no one knows if they will use protection.
These are just some of the realities the Kenya’s Generation Y is going through. University students no longer earn the respect such a status would attract in the past. Nairobi motorists and businessmen are aware of the danger that comes with students’ strikes. From looting to burning property worth millions, these are people who represent the highest epitome of intellectual capacity in the country.
“Medical students no longer behave as would be doctors, so are lawyers, economists, engineers, journalists and accountants, a dark cloud is glooming the future of these young men and women,” says Anthony, a Nairobi accountant.
Dr. Samuel Mawiyoo, a psychologist and lecturer at the University of Nairobi says Kenya’s generation Y is simply copy pasting what has been there.
“There is nothing new in the society today, prostitution and drug abuse has always been there. Even slavery was stopped but replaced by human trafficking. It is a trend that was started by our grand fathers and it is here to stay. It’s not going anywhere”, he tells me.
However, he is sad to point out that while our grandparents played their roles in the society, today’s parents have failed.
“We have most children brought up by single parents and this has led to lack of family values,” he says. “We cannot also blame our young ladies for sleeping with older men in exchange for money, it’s an addiction, and not just money for the sake of it.” .
