Egerton University suspend seven student Governing Council members

Seven Egerton University Students Association leaders have been suspended, following December 4 students’ unrest.

The seven, including the association’s chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary-general, treasurer, directors of gender and entertainment, welfare and academics were issued with suspension letters after the strike.

In the letters signed by Prof Mwanarusi Saidi, the Acting Registrar Academic Affairs, the seven are accused of calling for an assembly, demonstration, and picketing of the students.

“Following students unrest which led to the University closure on Wednesday, December 4, 2019, Senate at its 505th meeting held on the same day resolved that as a member of EUSA Student Governing Council who called for assembly, demonstration, and picketing of the students, you be suspended from the university till further notice,” reads one of the letters.

“Note further that beyond these penalties, the University is not restrained from handing over your cases to the State Law enforcement authority for legal action.”

Some student leaders, who spoke to the Saturday Standard on condition of anonymity, said they have been trying to engage the university to rescind the suspension but their efforts are yet to bear fruit.

Their worry is that they might be locked out of January university examinations.

They said if the matter is not resolved then they will sue the university management.

“We kept the letters to ourselves and tried to have the matter resolved but the management declined to hear us,” said one suspended student.

The suspension comes as Kenya Parents Association wants the university stopped from imposing a Sh16,862 fine on each of 13,700 students for damages caused during the strike.

The students are expected to pay the fine before reporting back on January 8, 2020.

Association Chairman Nicholas Maiyo, in a letter to the Ministry of Education, says it is unfair for the university to surcharge students and parents for the strike.

“It has come to our attention that there is hue and cry from parents of Egerton University over the impunity which the University has used to surcharge the parents Sh16,832 for the strike that happened recently. This is unfair and unacceptable!” reads Maiyo’s letter.

He called upon the ministry and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.