Laikipia varsity students block Nyahururu-Nakuru highway

Police and residents clear the Nyahururu-Nakuru road which had been barricaded by protesting Laikipia University students on March 26, 2019. PHOTO | STEVE NJUGUNA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The protests that started on Tuesday morning crippled transport along the busy Nyahururu - Nakuru highway.

  • Shops at Karuga and Nyumba Tatu shopping centres remained closed while several kiosks along the busy road were set ablaze by the rowdy students.

Rioting Laikipia University students engaged the police in running battles for the better part of Tuesday.

The students were protesting over the shortening of this year's cultural week from five to one day.

The protests that started on Tuesday morning crippled transport along the busy Nyahururu - Nakuru highway as the rioting students rendered it impassable after lighting bonfires.   

Shops at the nearby Karuga and Nyumba Tatu shopping centres remained closed for the better part of the day while several kiosks along the busy road were set ablaze by the rowdy students.

HAY FARM

Firefighters from Laikipia County were on Tuesday afternoon battling huge fires at Shamanei Forest and another one at a hay farm in the institution’s neighbourhood.

Police have urged motorists to exercise caution when approaching Laikipia University Main campus which is located at Karuga area, some 20 Kilometres from Nyahururu town.

“We have been here since morning, no cars are allowed to use the road by the protesting students. Our vehicles have been damaged while some of our passengers have also been injured by the students,” said Mr Samuel Kariuki a matatu driver.

According to the students, the protests were sparked after the reduction on the number of days of the cultural week. The event was initially set to run from Monday to Friday.

FUNDS

“We have been holding a cultural week in every academic year. This year’s event was set to start yesterday (Monday) up to Friday. But yesterday (Monday) we were notified by the university’s administration that we will only hold the event on Friday,” said the student who sought anonymity.

Another student said that the university management cited lack of funds for the changes.

“Why is the university citing lack of funds for shortening the period of the cultural event yet the money had been factored in the fees,” posed another student.