KU students summoned over riot

By Cyrus Ombati

Kenya: Twenty-seven Kenyatta University (KU) students have been summoned by the institution’s disciplinary team over chaos that followed the discovery of poll materials there in March.

The students are supposed to appear before the team on Thursday to explain their role in the riots that resulted to the burning of a car belonging to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Received letters

Luke Ochieng’ Odongo, a student leader, said yesterday all of those summoned had received letters from the disciplinary team and had been threatened with suspension if they failed to appear before it.

Mr Odongo claimed the institution was victimising them based on the parties that participated in the March 4 election.

“We do not know what criterion they used to write us the letters but when you look at the composition you can see bias. It is unfair to us,” said Odongo.

He added the institution’s head of security had threatened him with a gun as he ordered him out of his room at the weekend and that he reported the matter at the Kahawa Sukari police post.

Odongo said he was followed and robbed by people he suspects had an ‘intention’ yesterday morning in the city centre. He again reported the matter at the Central Police Station.

Participated

Efforts to get a comment from KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Olive Mugenda were futile. The student leader said he and most of those summoned never participated in the riots.

Riots erupted at KU main campus on March 15 after students allegedly discovered IEBC ballot materials at the institution’s business centre.

Before the riots could end, students had burnt a car and barricaded the Thika Superhighway forcing vehicles to use alternative routes.

The administration explained that the materials were in a room that had been used as a tallying centre by the IEBC.

The commission had hired the university facilities from February 22 to March 15 and election officials were meant to start clearing up when the riots started.