Kirinyaga University College students riot, demand registrar's removal
The entrance of the Kirinyaga University College in in Kirinyaga Central District (Kirinyaga County). Students have gone on the rampage demanding the removal of their registrar Mr Phineas Munyi. They also decried what they termed as the university's deplorable state with one student saying its is "worse than a rural primary school." PHOTO|FILE
Kirinyaga University College students Tuesday went on the rampage demanding the removal of their registrar Mr Phineas Munyi.
The students boycotted studies and walked out of the College in protest.
They then barricaded the usually busy Kerugoya-Kutus road paralysing transport for the better part of the morning.
They said Mr Munyi had overstayed in the college and he should therefore go.
The students also want the College principal who was transferred be brought back unconditionally.
They harassed motorists plying the route for hours, causing tension in the area.
But police moved in and engaged them in running battles.
THREW STONES
The officers hurled tear gas canisters at the hostile students who responded by throwing stones.
The students were overpowered and forced back to the College where they chased away workers.
Police later removed the barricades on the road and kept guard.
At around 11.30am, the students raided the kitchen and flushed out the cooks.
They then looted food and upset the utensils as they vowed to continue rampaging until their demand was met.
Police officers could be seen outside the college but did not enter into the compound as the students continued with their looting spree.
The students complained of the pathetic state of lecture halls and lack of textbooks.
They also said there was shortage of clean water and that the college was being mismanaged.
WORSE THAN PRIMARY SCHOOL
"Our University is in a deplorable state.
It is worse than a rural primary school," one of the students said.
They also claimed that there was misappropriation of funds and called on the government to send an audit team to the institution.
"We want the school accounts to be audited because we feel the money is not properly used," another student said.
The University College student chairman Isaiah Kamau said the students were also bitter because they were denied a bus to take them to Embu to attend a burial of the relative of one of their colleagues.
"Our colleague lost a relative and we wanted to attend the funeral.
But when we asked the college administration to provide transport our request was turned down," he said.
