Kisii University Closed Indefinitely After Riot Over Fee

Kissi University Student Riot

Kisii University students were on Tuesday evening sent home after two days of rioting over Sh10,000 industrial and teaching practice fee imposed by the institution.

The university's senate arrived at the decision after the students failed to heed to calls by the administration to call off the strike and dialogue.

The students were given less than 10 minutes to leave the university premises in the 6pm order to close the institution.

The Star journalists who visited the institution yesterday morning found some students being frisked by the security personnel to be allowed into premises to pick their belongings.

On Monday, the students engaged anti-riot police in running battles for the better part of the day.

During the riots, gunshots rent the air as police used live and rubber bullets to disperse the rioting students.

The students said their vice chancellor Prof Joh Akama has failed to manage the institution and should be replaced immediately.

They said the university management does not involve the student association in decisionmaking.

The students smashed window panes on the main entrance after they received the matching orders.

Addressing the press after the closure of the university, Akama said they sent away the students because they were rowdy.

"The university will remain closed until further notice," he said.

The VC said some rivals in institutions of higher learning have compromised the student leadership to tarnish the university's image.

Meanwhile, Victor Odero, a student who was shot in the leg during the mayhem is awaiting orthopedic surgery at Ram Hospital.

The hospital's administrator Mochama Abobo said besides Odero, 20 other students, who sustained injuries during the riots, were treated and discharged.

Kisii Level-5 medical superintendent Enock Ondari said the hospital received three students, who were treated and discharged.

At the same time 250 students arrested during the riots were charged at the Kisii law court with taking part in a riot contrary to section 78(3) as read with section 79 of the Penal Cord.

However chief magistrate Ann Onginjo acquitted them under Section 176 after the university wrote see and neither did any student make a formal complaint to the police.