Five Students Arrested as Police Clash with Protesters at Bandari Maritime Academy
Learning activities at Bandari Maritime Academy in Mombasa were completely disrupted on Monday, March 17, after students took to the streets in protest, leading to violent clashes with the police.
The demonstration escalated into running battles as officers attempted to disperse the angry students.
Carrying placards, the learners gathered outside the institution to express their frustration over a series of grievances, including alleged mismanagement and concerns about the quality of their certificates.
They claimed that the certificates issued by the academy were substandard and lacked international recognition, making it difficult for graduates to secure jobs, especially overseas.
Lecturers’ Boycott and Exam Result Delays
Beyond the certification concerns, students accused the administration of failing to pay lecturers, which had caused learning disruptions. According to them, unpaid lecturers had resorted to boycotting classes, leaving students stranded with no one to teach them.
Additionally, students raised complaints about delays in the release of examination results. Some claimed they had been subjected to multiple continuous assessment tests (CATs) and exams, yet they never received their results. This, they argued, was severely affecting their academic progress.
“We are extremely frustrated because we sit for several tests and exams, yet the results are never released. We don’t even know where we stand academically,” one student lamented.
Police Confrontation and Arrests
As the protests escalated, police intervened, firing tear gas to disperse the agitated crowd. In the chaos, one student was injured after coming into contact with a tear gas canister.
Authorities later confirmed that five students had been arrested for their involvement in the protest, though details on whether they would face charges remained unclear.
A Growing Trend of Student Protests
The unrest at Bandari Maritime Academy is part of a growing trend of student demonstrations across the country.
Just a week earlier, on Monday, March 10, students from the Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU) staged a massive protest after one of their classmates was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
The MMU students barricaded roads and clashed with police officers as they demanded justice for their fallen colleague.
The deceased was a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology at the time of his tragic passing.
With student demonstrations becoming increasingly common, concerns continue to rise over the state of higher education institutions in Kenya and the challenges students face in their pursuit of quality education.
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