Maseno, Masinde Muliro universities close amid electoral crisis
Maseno University, the institution was closed on October 18, 2017 to allow students to travel home and participate in upcoming repeat poll. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Universities say they are taking a breaking to allow staff and students to participate in the elections.
- Maseno, based in Kisumu County, is also at the centre of an area where mobs have attacked electoral officials planning for the very elections.
- Sources said the institution feared the attacks could spill over among students.
Two public universities in western Kenyan have shut down indefinitely amid the rising political heat in the country.
Maseno University closed on Wednesday and students ordered to leave by Thursday morning in what the institution said was to allow students to go take part in the fresh presidential elections due on October.
In an internal memo by vice chancellor Prof Julius Nyabundi, the administration called on students to vacate the university premises by Thursday 8am “due to the prevailing circumstances.”
SECURITY
The Varsity’s Director for Public Relations Owen MacOnyango told the Nation the political events had made it difficult to continue with studies and students were being allowed to go take part in the elections.
“We saw no reason to keep holding them here. So the institution decided to allow them go and take part in whatever way they feel,” he said.
Maseno, based in Kisumu County, is also at the centre of an area where mobs have attacked electoral officials planning for the very elections. Sources said the institution feared the attacks could spill over among students.
At the same time, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology has gone for a recess to allow staff and students to participate in the elections.
ELECTION
In a circular signed by the Acting Registrar Academic Affairs Dr Carolyne Onyancha, the institution inform all the students that the University Senate meeting held on 18th October 2017, resolved that the University close on October 19 to allow students and staff to travel and cast their votes.
Lectures will resume on October 30, the notice said.
However, the students in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Sciences and the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies will continue with their planned activities until 24th October 2017.
According to the lecturer at the institution Tom Ouko said they are closing to allow students and staff to participate in the coming repeat presidential election.
Winnie Malala in charge of Public Relations department at Masinde Muliro University said she will divulge more information in the course of the day.
