University Don blames Raila Odinga for sanctioning student demonstration that turned chaotic
March 12th, 2009
University of Nairobi students held demonstrations to protest the killing of one of their colleagues. Their vice chancellor Prof Magoha on Wednesday said the institution’s administration should be allowed to run its affairs without political interference to avoid the incidents of looting and harassment of citizens as was seen on Tuesday during the protests. PHOTO/HEZRON NJOROGE (NAIROBI)
University of Nairobi vice-chancellor George Magoha has asked politicians to keep off the running of the institution to avoid the kind of behaviour witnessed in a students’ protest this week.
The university administrator on Wednesday said that the institution’s administration should be allowed to run its affairs without political interference to avoid the incidents of looting and harassment of citizens as was seen on Tuesday.
“It was very sad to see them behaving that way and I hope we are allowed to run the university as we should,” Prof Magoha told the Nation on Wednesday.
Students from the university held a peaceful demonstration to protest against the killing of a colleague by police last Thursday but it turned violent when they resorted to looting and harassing citizens on roads near the institution.
Prof Magoha said the university could not take action against the students who went on the rampage after four hours of peaceful but noisy demonstrations.
“I was a spectator like everybody else and I would prefer to get instructions from my employer. How do I take action on those who were rioting when the protests were sanctioned by somebody with more authority than me? They should have allowed us to take control,” said Prof Magoha.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga had on Monday instructed the police not to interfere with the protests and asked vice chancellors not to punish students who would take part in them.
Later that day, police spokesman Eric Kiraithe and Internal Security minister George Saitoti confirmed that the police would provide security for the students. On Tuesday, police arrived to disperse the students more than three hours after they turned violent.
Prof Magoha had opposed the demonstrations, arguing that the students could be joined by other people out to cause mayhem. Students Organisation of Nairobi University chairman Dan Mwangi claimed that activists took advantage of the peaceful march to cause chaos.
Deliver apology
And on Wednesday, University of Nairobi student leaders apologised to those who lost property during the looting which took place on Tuesday.
The students also met Mr Odinga to deliver an apology on behalf of their colleagues. The PM said that what happened was unfortunate but added that he had learnt that the students were remorseful.
Elsewhere, Brazilian ambassador to Kenya Ana Maria Sampaio Fernandez termed Tuesday’s demonstrations by university students as an important step in consolidating democracy in Kenya.
source.nation.ke