Police early yesterday morning shot dead a secondary schoolboy following student unrest in Machakos District.

Meanwhile, five more schools were closed by the District Education Board as riots escalated.

The move brings to 10 the number of learning institutions that have closed due to student riots in less than a week.

The 16-year-old Form One boy was shot in the chest during the 1am disturbances at Mbiuni Mixed School in Mwala constituency.

He was taken to Matuu Memorial Hospital mortuary for postmortem.

After he was shot, the boy disappeared in the darkness and was only discovered early yesterday morning, already dead. There were blood stains where he lay.

The principal called the police from the nearby Mbiuni market after some students set on fire the school granary and kitchen, which are near the boys' dormitories.

The contingent of regular and Administration Police fired shots in the air to stop the students from causing further damage.

The victim had been sent home for fees and returned on Sunday, the night he met his death. His grandmother, Ms Julie Kalondu, wept uncontrollably when word reached her that he had died.

She said the boy's single mother worked in Nairobi.

"I was blessed with only one child, the boy's mother, and he was the only child of my daughter. I loved the boy so much; he was like my own child. I have lost a special being, a good companion," she sobbed.

Acting District Commissioner Francis Komen, police boss Charles Mathenge, CID chief Jason Obilo and the District Education Officer, Mrs Beatrice Atsiago, spent the better part of yesterday investigating the circumstances in which the student met his death.

Mr Komen said action would be taken only after the results of the postmortem test were received.

Area MP, assistant minister Mutua Katuku called for investigations into the shooting and the reason behind the sudden increase in school riots.

"We want to know if this unfortunate incident was justified. Police should be restrained from using live bullets while quelling student riots," he said.

At the same time, Mr Mathenge said 25 students had been arrested over recent riots in local schools.

Four students were from Tala High, 10 from Sengani, two from Mwala Mixed and nine from AIC Athi River.

	Copyright © 2004 The Nation. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).