Saturday, March 07, 2009

UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI STUDENTS ENRAGED



University of Nairobi students have threatened to mobilise protests next Tuesday to push for the resignation of Police Commissioner Major General Hussein Ali. The students are enraged by what they termed as ‘police harassment’ since the brutal murder of a student and two human rights activists outside the university’s hostels last Thursday. This follows the killing of a Human Right campaigner who police say organized an "Illegal mass demonstration".



Flanked by a group of students, Union Chairman Dan Mwangi said the students would not allow further disruption of normal business in the institution by the police who have kept vigil outside the University since Thursday’s shooting.


“Students have not slept for the last two days because all these hostels have been tear gassed by the police. Students are so worried, we are doing exams but we cannot even read,” Mr Mwangi complained.“This state house road has become a menace for the students, we are declaring that from Tuesday we shall close it and make it a foot path for students.”


A second year student was shot dead by police on Thursday night hours after Oscar Foundation Director Kamau Kingara and a collegue Paul Oulu were brutally murdered. Students had engaged the police in a confrontation and stopped them from removing the two bodies of the rights officials when the student was shot.


Mr Kingara, whose Foundation is a human rights group that organised Thursday's mass protests, was shot dead at about 6.30pm alongside another man, as they drove towards the city centre.