Students schooling at the Kenya Methodist University in Meru county, went on a rampage, engaging the police in running battles in a bid to call for the release of their arrested student leaders.
The irate students, who blocked a section of the Meru- Maua road, went on strike after talks between the student organization and the school management failed to bear fruits.
The leaders who sought to rally the students to boycott the school, were warned against disrupting the ongoing session. This forced the police to intervene and clear the students from vandalizing property and blocking the busy road.
The students who presented their grievancies thrpough a mem o to the admninistration, cited lack of enough facilities for the medical students, lecturers and high cost of food in the establishment.
KEMUSO Secretary-General James Mbogo said they met Vice-Chancellor Maurice Okoth on Monday for consultations only to be slapped with warning letters.
“We had been requested to meet the management for talks over the grievances but we were escorted out and detained at the gate by the security officers. The chairman, treasurer and I were then served with suspension letters at the gate. This is what sparked the riots by students,” Mbogo said.
While addressing the media, Prof. Okoth alleged that they had warned the leaders against breaking the student code by swearing to not incite students to rampage, but they declined, forcing the administration to suspend the leaders.
“The chairman, secretary and treasurer have been suspended because of inciting students over DSTV and demands that the food price be reduced to Sh30. About 20 students were sympathising with the officials leading to the chaos,” Prof Okoth said.
Kenya Methodist University joins a growing list of universities crippled by student unrests. Kenyatta University, Masinde Muliro and Moi University were closed indefinately after student’s riots rocked the learning institutions.
