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University students are fast turning campus activism into an extortionist money minting venture.
This clique of students pocket, threaten, blackmail and loot as the university administrations watch.
The kind of activism that charted the political future of our leaders is long dead.
Just recently, nine students were suspended from school, among other accusations, looting and violent demonstration on the night of December 3.
It is alleged that some students had complained about the mafia.
Witnesses told The Nairobian that the so-called mafia group had become extortionists, operating under a political pseudonym.
A student at Moi University claimed he almost cancelled event prominent artistes after the group threatened him.
“One of the students came to me saying the event would only take place if I paid him Sh4,000. I could not understand why I was being taxed,” said the student.
Entertainment director at the university’s student organisation, Bishar Yusuf, blamed the mafia for interrupting another event on November 21.
Bishar claimed the event was to feature Nameless among other artistes, but cancelled it after he failed to make it a free-for-all event as per the wishes of the mafias. He claimed he could not budge given he had spent close to Sh200, 000 on the event.
A student leader from the University of Nairobi told The Nairobian that mafias command Sonu elections, money and events.
He claimed a cartel of students disrupted KTN’s Straight Up show on July 13 2013 after demanding Sh100, 000 for the show to proceed.
The same mafia groups are hired as goons to terrorise some candidates during campus elections by breaking into aspirants’ rooms and stealing electronics.
Wambui Nyutu, a leader at UoN said the group that is feared by students has friends in Sonu.
“We call them generals, not goons. I have learnt to exist with them. I understand them well, and it’s pleasant to work with them,” she said.
Moi University and University of Nairobi administrations could not confirm nor deny existence of the mafias when Campus Vibe reached them for comment.
