DeKUT M.SC FORENSICS AND SECURITY MANAGEMENT STUDENT VENTURES INTO WRITING 

“At DeKUT, a student is not just a number. The personnel know us (the students) individually and strong academic bonds develop. The personal attention from the lecturers and supervisors has helped me realize my potential. DeKUT is a university of technology where what we learn is so practical and should help improve the society.” Edwin Ayieko

Edwin Ayieko is our student pursuing Master of Science in Forensics and Security Management and our graduate Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Security Management. He was born in Nakuru County during the so called baby boomers period just before the mellenials. He is the son of a humble police officer and a house wife who later became the pillar and source of encouragement to the family. He is a first born in a family of 8 siblings; 5 boys and 3 girls.

Edwin was raised in different parts of the country as his father would be transferred regularly due to the demanding schedule of police work. He spent a significant part of his life in the rural setting of Koru settlement scheme and a mixture of the urban set up where his dad served as a police officer. “The rural up- bringing was fantastic and memorable”, he reminisces. “I learned to be cosmopolitan and to work the land as most peasants around our humble rural home in Koru settlement scheme in the then Kericho district.”

Due to his father’s transfers, Edwin attended 5 primary schools during that short time. After the primary education, the boarding school brought stability as he was not then shuttling around the county with his dad. After the O level exams in Rangala boys, Edwin joined tertiary college and finally the then Kenya Polytechnic where he undertook a course in Electrical Engineering. This was not easy as the paucity of resources could not allow him and his siblings to get the kind of education they desired. He had to take a break and find a job to help support the family.

The propensity to academics and education was always in the back ground. The seed to have a University degree one day had been planted in him, though sometime it felt like it will never be achieved. His father had planted the seed and his mother inculcated this desire in the 8 of them. This is evident as 4 of his siblings (him included) have gone on to have college education. His thirst and quest for education was never extinguished so he applied to join several colleges.

Edwin’s parents were relatively religious and staunch believers in knowledge acquisition. Sharing knowledge with others to help make the world a better place is one of the tenets of his family. When the chance to eventually join a University came along -something Edwin was not able to achieve in his early years, he felt that his prayer and wishes had been answered. “When I received my calling letter to join Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, I photographed it and shared it out on social media with those who had mentored me along the way. It is one of the most memorable moments in my life”, says Edwin. He remembers his uncle, who is a medical doctor, saying “You are never too old for academics.”

Here is what Edwin has to say about Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
Dedan Kimathi has been a fantastic academic home for me. At DeKUT, a student is not just a number. The personnel know us (the students) individually and strong academic bonds develop. The personal attention from the lecturers and supervisors has helped me realize my potential. Though sometime the lecturers can be too strict and the evaluation process can be challenging for the liking of a student, I am grateful because now I realize that this is what has led me to being a quality person in terms of knowledge and ability to solve problems. The amenities at the University are good and world class. The comfortable and good learning environment has been a boom to my academic activities. The programmes offered are also very practical. For instance, in forensic science, I remember the National Police Service of Korea forensic officers attached to Korea National Police University came to train us under the supervision of the DCI officers from Kiambu road where the CID headquarters are located. We also had a practical world class hands on training on cyber security; not forgetting the practical training on the current contemporary security threat of terrorism that DeKUT in conjunction with Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) take us through before completing our studies in Security Management.

I was encouragement by my supervisor not to keep my knowledge to myself but to share it with others and use it to contribute towards solving real world problems. This is what inspired me to start writing. DeKUT is a university of technology where what we learn is so practical and should help improve the society. The programmes are not just theoretical but practical. This helps me put what I learn into practice hence the publications.
I look forward to adding to the body of knowledge in the field of both physical and human security in the light of the contemporary security threats like terrorism, infectious diseases, industrial accidents and even natural disasters.