University of Nairobi to reopen Tuesday as Vice Chancellor warns students against more riots

The University of Nairobi will reopen on Tuesday.

Speaking yesterday during the sixth Open Day, Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi said hooliganism and lawlessness would not be tolerated.

Prof Mbithi said drugs and substance abuse were to blame for students' unrest and pledged to uproot the vice.

He accused politicians of influencing students to cause havoc. Mbithi ruled out a repeat of the disputed students elections that saw university property destroyed as one contender, Mike Jacobs, and his supporters rejected the results.

"The institution will come up with laws that will guide student leadership to avert similar chaos in future," he said.

The University expelled 33 students among them Mr Jacobs, who contested the poll results that saw Babu Owino declared winner. Another 100 were warned. The decision followed disciplinary hearings that confirmed the affected students bore the greatest responsibility for the violence and destruction.

Mbithi said the university embraced change in its endeavour to institute a culture of reforms in management.

He said the University of Nairobi (UoN) had registered more students in recent years, increased the courses on offer and expanded operations to other regions.

keep momentum

"I wish to assure all that we shall keep the momentum and improve access to quality higher education," he said. He said the recent stellar ranking that confirmed UoN as the best in the country and top seven in Africa was proof that the university was on the right track. The open day provides an opportunity for the university to interact with its prospective students and parents.