Students protest over funds delay
A police officer fires a tear gas canister at university students who had blocked a section of Uhuru Highway in Nairobi during a protest on September 19, 2014 over the late disbursement of funds by the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb). PHOTO | SALATON NJAU |
What you need to know:
- The Technical University of Kenya students stormed offices of the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) at Anniversary Towers.
- Although University of Nairobi students did not join the riots, which broke out just outside their institution, their leader, Mr Babu Owino, said he supported the demonstrations.
Some university students on Friday took to the streets over the late disbursement of funds by the loans board.
The students from the Technical University of Mombasa and the Technical University of Kenya in Nairobi engaged the police in running battles for the better part of the morning, saying cash for this semester had not been paid into their accounts.
The Technical University of Kenya students stormed offices of the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) at Anniversary Towers, Nairobi, in the early hours of the morning, demanding an explanation over the payment delay.
The rowdy students blocked University Way. They pelted motorists with stones, causing traffic jams on major roads leading into the city centre.
Officers from the Central Police Station were sent to the scene of the riots and contained the protesters at 1.30pm.
“We are going to continue protesting until we receive our money,” said Mr Joseph Karuri, the Vice-Chairman of the Students Association of the Technical University of Kenya.
Although University of Nairobi students did not join the riots, which broke out just outside their institution, their leader, Mr Babu Owino, said he supported the demonstrations.
He called for the resignation of Helb CEO Charles Ringera, whom he blamed for the latest crisis in universities.
The students’ counterparts in Mombasa marched out of the Technical University gates in protest over poor management of the institution as well as the delay in the release of the Helb money.
LOB TEAR GAS CANISTERS
They barricaded the Buxton Road Junction, disrupting traffic. Others attempted to get into the town centre. This prompted the police to lob tear gas canisters at the students and descend on them with batons. More than 50 students were arrested. The officers removed the boulders from the road.
“This demonstration was supposed to be peaceful until the police waylaid us. They hurled tear gas at us, yet our mission was simply to make our grievances known,” said Mr Benmark Ng’ang’a, the President of the Technical University of Mombasa’s students association.
