University of Nairobi students burn SONU offices, block Uhuru highway

University of Nairobi students on rampage over Babu Owino's re-election as SONU Chairman

Nairobi, Kenya:  A section of State House road and Uhuru highway  have been blocked after University of Nairobi students go on rampage protesting the outcome of students’ union elections.The students have gone ahead to burn the Sonu offices as they protest over election of Babu Owino as chairman.

Most students were puzzled by Babu Owino's win because Mike Jacobs was leading in all campuses by midnight Friday.

"We don't know how Owino won the elections because the other candidate was ahead all the time," said one student.

The elections, which ended at around 5pm on Friday, saw heavy presence of anti-riot police who ensured peaceful elections in all voting centres.

In the recent past University of Nairobi students have expressed concern over Babu's leadership style linking him to hooliganism after a video of him harassing his closest rival Mike Jacobs surfaced.  Jacobs was in his camp in the past contests before he decided to oppose him.

Owino has already been sworn in as SONU chairman. He enjoys the support of the university administration.

All 30 University of Nairobi students who were arrested on Saturday in a protest over the election of Babu Owino as chairman for a fourth time had been released.

Nairobi police boss Japheth Koome ordered the release of the students to enable them attend their examination sessions set to begin this week.

"We warned them late in the evening and they pledged to observe peace. We understand they will be starting their examination Monday or Tuesday," he said.

Dozens of students had jammed Central police station on Saturday evening seeking the release of the arrested students.

Career student Babu Owino beat his closest contender Mike Jacobs by 15,000 to 3,000 to be the SONU chairman.

The disgruntled went on the rampage Saturday blocking roads near their university for hours.

Police were sent there to quell the violence that saw more than 30 students arrested. The officers used teargas canisters to disperse the students who were pelting stones at motorists.

At some point, the officers chased the students into their hostels amid claims they harassed them and beat some inflicting them with injuries.

Koome said they had not received any complaint from the students regarding any bad behavior by the officers during the riots.

"If there was any form of harassment and especially on female students we have not received a complaint. The anti-riot officers were well guided and finished their operation well," said Koome.

He was reacting to claims by some students the anti-riot officers beat them up in their hostels and broke their property.