Chaos broke out in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday as police officers confronted students from the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) who were protesting over the institution’s closure.
The students, who had gathered at the university grounds, marched along Haile Selassie Avenue towards the Ministry of Education headquarters at Jogoo House, demanding action from the government. However, they were met by police officers who had been deployed in advance to stop their demonstration.
The situation quickly escalated as officers fired tear gas, filling the air with smoke, while students ran in different directions to escape the choking fumes.
Armed with batons and tear gas canisters, law enforcement officers engaged in running battles with the demonstrators, attempting to disperse them forcefully.
According to the protesting students, they were marching to petition the Ministry of Education to reopen their university after it was closed indefinitely due to ongoing staff and student demonstrations. The closure followed a strike by university staff who were protesting over unpaid salaries.
This was not the first protest by the students. Just days earlier, on Wednesday, February 19, they had stormed the Vice Chancellor’s office and later marched to the Ministry of Education, demanding urgent intervention to allow them to resume their studies.
The university was officially shut down on February 3, leaving students stranded and uncertain about their future.
Following the closure, students were ordered to vacate campus hostels immediately, leaving many without accommodation and forcing them to find alternative housing as they waited for the institution to reopen.
As the standoff continued, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba addressed the matter on Friday, assuring students that the Ministry of Education was working tirelessly to resolve the crisis.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Ogamba emphasized that his team was committed to finding a long-term solution to prevent such disruptions from happening again.
Among the key issues under review are the unpaid salaries that the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) had blamed the university for neglecting.
Ogamba stated that the ministry had already formed a special team to investigate the challenges facing TUK and find a lasting resolution.
“In the case of TUK, where financial constraints and salary arrears have caused unrest, we are actively working to secure the necessary funds to address these concerns. I have also scheduled a meeting with union representatives next week to ensure we establish a sustainable plan to prevent similar issues in the future,” Ogamba assured.
Despite the ongoing efforts, students have vowed to continue pushing for their rights until the university is reopened and academic programs resume as usual.
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