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Chaos Rocks Nairobi University Over Banned Union
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The Nation (Nairobi)
January 23, 2003
Posted to the web January 22, 2003
Linda Konje
Nairobi
A man was seriously injured and goods worth thousands of shillings looted or destroyed yesterday when Nairobi University students took to the streets to demand that their union be reinstated.
The unidentified man, who was bleeding on the head, was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital.
Efforts by Information and Tourism minister Raphael Tuju and assistant minister Beth Mugo to calm the students bore little fruit as they demanded that Education minister George Saitoti address them.
They damaged Mr Tuju's car when they jumped on the bonnet as others pelted it with stones. "We urge you to calm down and tell us your problems and we'll take them up with the authorities," the minister pleaded with the students.
But they ignored him and invaded shops and fast food restaurants in the nearby buildings, where they looted chips, chicken and sodas. They used the empty soda bottles to pelt motorists caught in the melee.
They also smashed windows at the nearby Uchumi supermarket, Posta Sacco building and filling station.
Some calm was restored when assistant minister Fred Gumo arrived and asked the students to disperse.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Crispus Kiamba, assured the students that their union would be reinstated and expelled students re-admitted.
"We are urging you to be patient, but assure you that the students' body will be reinstated. However, you should work at attaining a credible and responsible organisation to improve your welfare and academic programmes," he said.
Later, four students who claimed to be the campus leaders, apologised to the public for the damaged property.
The student representatives were however non-committal about whether their colleagues would return the cell phones, clothes and other items which they had looted from the many shops raided during the riot.
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