By Felix Wanderi
Worth Noting:
- Karani said that his TIBA team has been in solidarity with their comrades who have rejected the new funding model saying that the system has failed to account for the financial realities faced by poorer students.
- “The main reason why we are being intimidated and threatened is because we have upcoming student elections in KU. The government has had interests in the elections and they are funding a team that is supporting their agenda of the new funding model and are not serving the interests of the students,’ he said.
- He said that they have information of someone in the government who is funding the team which is supporting their agenda with a substantial amount of money.
Kenyatta University student leaders have expressed their fear of being intimidated, threatened and attacked at gun point over rejecting the new funding model of higher education.
According to Glen Karani who is aspiring to be elected as the new KU student president riding on Transparent inclusive Bold and Accountable (TIBA) ticket reported an incident to Kahawa Sukari Police Station where at 6am yesterday he was accosted by three men armed with guns as he came out of his home in Githurai and demanded him to part with his phone, student identification card and was threatened not to continue with his quest to reject the new funding model.
“As i came out of the place I live I saw three men armed with guns while riding a motorbike came unto me and they manhandled me. They demanded my phone and they threatened me to give them my password and I complied since it was terrifying. They also took my ID cards and then they left after telling me to stop with my push to reject the new funding model,” Karani said.
Karani said that his TIBA team has been in solidarity with their comrades who have rejected the new funding model saying that the system has failed to account for the financial realities faced by poorer students.
“The main reason why we are being intimidated and threatened is because we have upcoming student elections in KU. The government has had interests in the elections and they are funding a team that is supporting their agenda of the new funding model and are not serving the interests of the students,’ he said.
He said that they have information of someone in the government who is funding the team which is supporting their agenda with a substantial amount of money.
Edward Kinyua, Secretary General GEMA community student leader said that the lives of students are in danger since students who are expressing their views are being threatened at gunpoint and forced to abandon their views that are contrary to the new funding model concept.
“The incident that has happened to our comrade and student president of being threatened at gunpoint has really shocked the students and are living in fear. We are in the wake of people being abducted with no trace and by the government involving itself in student politics has shocked comrades,” Kunyua said.
He said that such intimidations have been occasioned by comrades having contrary opinions from the government push for a new funding model.
The student leaders however seeked for assistance and guidance from the Kikuyu council of elders to compel the government to seize from intimidating and threatening students for airing their views.
“We are shocked to hear that our children are being attacked, threatened and intimidated at gun point. We are calling upon the government to stop interfering with students and let them express themselves,” Wachira wa Kiago, chairman of the Kikuyu council of elders, said.
Kiago said that as elders they have seen how the government is operating where abductions have been the order of the day and are shocked that the vice has entered into school politics.
‘The government should know that our students are kenyans and they should be left alone to conduct their business in peace. Let student politics be conducted by the students and let them elect whom they want,” he said.
James Nene, the Secretary General of the Kikuyu Council of Elders said that they are shocked that the country has become a country of lawlessness.
‘How did we reach here as a country where students are also being abducted? We have seen even the inspector general of police ignoring court summons meaning law is not being abided with. families are crying everyday since their loved ones who were abducted are yet to get answers or see their loved ones. Upto when will this last,” Nene said.
He said that as elders, they want law to be followed and to equalise all students and they rights must be given to them.
Mureithi Muteru Organising Secretary the Kikuyu Ciuncil of Elders said that there is a vacuum between the school leadership and students in the universities.
“When an incident of being threatened and intimidated they feel neglected as the university leadership has not acted to ensure students safety,” he said.
The elders however called on the political class in Mt. Kenya to come out and condemn the incidents where students are being threatened and attacked by police officers masquerading as goons.
“We do not want to lose our children simply because they are involved in their school’s politics of becoming leaders. We should come out and fight for their security as they are our future leaders,” Mureithi said.
