Maseno
University has been closed indefinitely following a demonstration after the
death of a ‘comrade.’
Peter
Njoroge, a third-year student, is said to have met his sudden death at around
5pm on October 31. It is alleged that angry students went after the killer and
set his house on fire.
Maseno
University has in the past been rocked by several cases of insecurity. Kweya
Opande, the dean of students, urged students to, “Maintain calmness for this
matter is already with the police.”
Vice
Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Dean of students also tried to calm
students but nothing seemed to bear fruit.
But
agitated students went ahead to barricade the busy Kisumu-Busia road, bringing
business to a standstill.
Somu
President urged angry comrades to hold peaceful demonstrations in vain as
students looted property from surrounding kiosks.
Following
the protests, an emergency senate meeting was held, after which students were
notified that the university had been closed.
According
Horace Korir, a third-year Media and Communication student, “It is high time
the university and the local community found a lasting solution to the conflict
that has existed for a long time in order to save more lives.”