Are ‘uni’ spies sleeping on the job?

Despite some universities planting moles to spy on students, danger lurks large within and around these institutions of higher learning.

The universities and affiliate campuses deploy ‘camouflaged’ police officers whose brief is to snoop on students in a bid to suppress indiscipline, insecurity and any looming strikes.

But the undercover policing strategy has not stopped students from being attacked, raped, murdered, trafficking drugs, fighting amongst themselves or steal from one another – some of the social ills casting universities in bad light.

Security expert and member of the Nyumba Kumi Initiative, Captain (rtd) Werunga Simiyu (pictured, below), blames university authorities for failing to put in place proper security mechanisms and dismisses the use of undercover security agents as amorphous.

He says there is need to employ trained and qualified personnel whose roles should be defined under a clear command structure to ensure accountability in case of a rape or mugging incident.

“For a long time, universities have not taken matters of security seriously. Every time we have security lapses, the only solution is student riots. The riots are indicative of failure by those supposed to take responsibility,” noted Simiyu who further recommended the introduction of a security manual for universities by the Ministry of Education.

But Administration Police Service spokesman Masoud Mwinyi says insecurity in universities is not as bad and cautions against the hype.

He insists that cases of murder of students and other serious crimes are isolated and that the affected universities and police are working on measures to address them by putting in place long-term deterrent mechanisms. He however did not mention them.

According to Mwinyi, the fact that the killing of students mainly happens outside universities is an indication that students are not immune to the insecurity facing the rest of society.

He adds that the police cannot guarantee students full security whenever they venture outside campus and advises them to be cautious, especially when interacting with strangers.

“We provide security on request. Also, we can open a police camp within or outside a university, but generally, our role is across the board,” states Mwinyi while assuring that investigations into the death Charity Maina’s death will be thorough and conclusive.