Demo in Eldoret as police grill governors over Moi University protest
What you need to know:
- Business was also brought to a standstill in Iten town in Elgeyo-Marakwet as residents also held demonstrations over the same issue.
- Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i appointed Prof Laban Ayiro, a director of quality assurance at the university, as the acting VC after Prof Richard Mibey's term ended.
Police on Tuesday used tear gas to disperse protesters in Eldoret town after they took to the streets over the summoning of two governors.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi had summoned Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago and his Elgeyo-Marakwet counterpart Alex Tolgos to record statements over utterances they made when they stormed Moi University to oppose the appointment of the new vice-chancellor.
Mr Mandago, Mr Tolgos, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and several MCAs were grilled at the DCI headquarters on Tuesday.
Business was also brought to a standstill in Iten town in Elgeyo-Marakwet as residents also held demonstrations over the same issue.
The leaders have maintained that they did not make tribal remarks as they only demanded that due process be followed in the appointment of a new VC.
The residents protested on Oginga Odinga Street to voice their support for the leaders over their stand on the university appointment.
“We have reports that DCIO has summoned the leaders to be grilled in Nairobi. We will not allow our leaders to be intimidated,” said Toriet Birech, a resident.
Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i appointed Prof Laban Ayiro, a director of quality assurance at the university, as the acting VC after Prof Richard Mibey's term ended.
Boniface Kemei, another resident, wondered why it was taking so long to appoint a VC at the university.
“The Kibabii University College took just two months to have a VC but we wonder why it is taking more than six months to have a substantive VC at Moi University,” he claimed.
Dr Matiang’i maintains that he followed the law in appointing Prof Ayiro and ruled out any possibility of engaging with politicians over the matter.
“The management of universities is governed by the Universities Act and I followed the law in the whole process. I cannot engage with political leaders as I’m not a politician. This is a process which involves multiple stakeholders,” said the CS in Nairobi last week.
According to Dr Matiang’i, the university governing council sent him a list of three eligible candidates for the position.
