adminNairobi – Protesting Kenyan university students reportedly destroyed property worth millions of shillings following a decision by the University of Nairobi to ban cooking in hostels.
According to Citizen TV, students at the university went on the rampage on Saturday evening. They said the university’s decision was tantamount to harassment by the institution’s leadership.
The students accused Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi of dictatorship and said he was using underhand methods to try and stifle the students’ union and curtail basic freedoms. They destroyed the university kitchen and dining area, before looting and destroying equipment which was set to be used for a concert at the institution the following day.
The rioting students also stoned motorists and stole from them. The students, according to The Standard, claimed that they could not afford to buy food from the university, saying it was overpriced.
The latest incident came just weeks after the institution was reopened following a five-week closure, following violence in the aftermath of student union elections. The Daily Nation reported that the violence ensued after reports of rigging by incumbent student leader Babu Owino surfaced.
The University of Nairobi is one of Africa’s best ranked institutions of higher learning, with a recent report rating it fourth best in Africa. – AFP
derick.khumalo