Technical University of Mombasa shut over unrest

A police officer arrests a student during a running battle following the closure of the Technical University of Mombasa on September 30, 2014. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |

What you need to know:

  • All the students on the main campus were ordered to leave the premises by 2 pm.
  • Students’ union leader Benmark Ng’ang’a told the Nation that their grievances had not been addressed.

More than 8,000 students from the Technical University of Mombasa were on Tuesday sent home for unruly behaviour.

This comes after the university senate resolved to indefinitely close the institution.

All the students on the main campus were ordered to leave the premises by 2 pm.

Vice-Chancellor Josephat Mwatelah said the students had been unruly in the last two weeks as they demanded the accreditation of engineering courses by the Engineers Board of Kenya.

“For the past two weeks, students from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology have been displaying unbecoming behaviour regarding accreditation of engineering courses.

“This culminated in the damage of property and disruption of learning,” says the vice-chancellor in a notice to the students.

CLOSED 'WITHOUT REASON'

However, students’ union leader Benmark Ng’ang’a told the Nation that their grievances had not been addressed.

“There has been no commotion. The senate cannot just close this university like a kiosk. The students’ union did not even attend the senate meeting and there was no consultation. More than half the students have no fare to go home. I am sure many will be stranded,” he said.

He accused the administration of closing the institution without any reason.

“On September 19, we had three grievances we wanted addressed. They were the accreditation of the institution by the Engineers Board of Kenya; the release of certificates of students who graduated from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology; and funds from the Higher Education Loans Board, which we have not received to date,” said Mr Ng’ang’a.

He said after their demonstration, the students reached an agreement with County Commissioner Nelson Marwa, who promised to help solve their issues.

“This is akin to a supremacy battle between the vice-chancellor and the county commissioner. He took issue with the students’ decision to engage the official,” he added.