“HIS TUTELAGE WAS WONDERFUL, LIFE – CHANGING AND A CAREER ELIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. WE WILL MISS HIM.”

Meet Shaibu Ali Juma– Tutorial Fellow, Electrical & Electronics Engineering

“I have enjoyed being part of the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) community. The two years I have been here feel  like it's just been a year due to the warmth, friendship and support I have experienced; I never for once felt like a foreigner.The  hardworking spirit and the vibe here is exceptional; not to mention the perfect location of the University and the serene environment  which makes the place amazing. I have been serving as the exams coordinator from the very start and the people I have been  working with from the School of Engineering, Examination Office and my department colleagues have been very helpful and  supportive. I have made friends and family and it has made my time here feel like home. The students are very smart, polite and  easy  to work with and the vision and progressiveness that I see in this place is addictive. DeKUT is trulya place of quality and  innovation evident from thecaliber of students that I have been working with on projects, the staff members and interaction with  different centres around the University such as the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Centre and Electronics Centre.

The experience at DeKUT has been amazing and as much as I am leaving in pursuit of a PhD, a part of me regrets having to leave this place.I am truly grateful for the opportunity I got to serve the institution” – Shaibu Ali Juma.

Shaibu Ali Juma is a Malawian Citizen who has been part of Dedan Kimathi University of Technology as a Tutorial Fellow in the department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering for the last two years. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering - Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree from the University of East London (hosted at Linton University College- Malaysia) and is also a holder of a M. Sc. in Electrical Engineering (Power Systems) degree from Pan African University Institute of Basic Science, Technology and Innovation – Kenya. Juma has published a few research papers in collaboration with other researchers. Some of the publications are: ‘A Review on Optimal Network Reconfiguration in the Radial Distribution System using Optimization Techniques’,‘Optimal Switching Sequence Using a Metaheuristic Algorithm for Feeder Reconfiguration’ and Combined Economic and Emissions Dispatch with Valve Point Effect using a Novel Moth Flame Optimization and Bat Hybrid Algorithm. In addition to lecturing, exam processing and conducting research, Juma served as the Club Patron of the Technocrats Club and under his patronage, the club executed 3 major projects leading to the following products: an Automatic Hand Sanitizer Dispenser, a Gas Leakage Detector and a Cafrilearn Educational Kit.

The question “what drives you to do what you do” is one that we should all ask ourselves and seek to know from our core. For Juma, his drive comes from his desire to solve local community problems through innovation, nurturing and mentoring undergraduate students to be involved and engaged in partaking in different projects at an early stagein order to build capacity in providing these solutions. In line with this, according to his students’ mentees, Juma wasn’t just a lecturer. In their words, “Having been taught by Mr. Juma was a wonderful, life-changing and career enlightening experience. It's sad to see him go but I'm personally grateful for his tutelage”; “Mr. Ali Juma was my lecturer for two years in Microprocessors and Digital Electronics units. He was a patient but stern lecturer driving us to be hardworking and ensure quality in our schoolwork. His insistence on timeliness and quality has made us capable in our studies enabling us to gain skills in our career path. Through his teaching, one can tell he’s a modern lecturer which makes learning more fun and relatable. He is an awesome lecturer and will surely be missed”; “When you see Mr. Juma conversing with students, you won’t believe that he is a lecturer. His new method of teaching gets him more involved with the students. He is very friendly, social and enthusiastic in his job. This makes his lectures more interesting, fun and even easier to understand. If one hasn’t understood a certain concept, the rapport he has built with his students enables them to ask for clarification without any fear or shyness. Our class was very lucky to have him not only as our lecturer but also as our class advisor. During lecture time, he would spare a few minutes to give us life advice and expectations sharing his journey in the engineering field. This would open up our minds and motivate us to put in more effort in our academics.I enjoyed having him around as a lecturer, a friend, a role model and an older brother. We all enjoyed his company to a point that we organised not only one farewell party, but two! As a class, we wish him happiness and all the very best in his career. The impact he has had in DeKUT will never be forgotten”; “Mr. ShaibuJuma, is for lack of better words, A Model Teacher.He is intensely interested in the development of the learners ensuring that we realize our full potential. I have worked with Him on various engineering projects which he not only gave insights on how to realizebut also constantly encouraged and guided me. He is the one I went to whenever I needed any guidance in Education and Engineering as a whole as he was approachable. His supervision of our academics was amazing as he checked on our progress at every step. He was and is committed to development of the community and provision of solutions to problems faced in the society, this is evident through the various projects he supported - some with his own finances to ensure they went through and realized their full potential. Few lecturers have the heart to mentor learners the way he does. As he leaves, I am sure I will miss a mentor, an excellent lecturer and a guide”.

Juma aspires to play a role in industrializing Africa and see it become independent and and progressing towards becoming a first world continent since he believesAfrica has everything we need locally. While he holds on to this aspiration and does what he can every day towards its realization, he counts his greatest achievement and fulfillment as seeing the students he has mentored (and keeps mentoring) excelling in everything that they do in and outside academics.

Thank you Mr. Juma for being a great mentor and inspiration to our students.