Anti-riot police officers on Monday struggled to contain mutinying students in the early afternoon who were protesting the just concluded muddled student elections at the varsity which Babu Owino had won for the fourth term.
About a group more than 100 students hauled stones and crude objects at the motorists along University Way and Uhuru Highway which are adjacent to the Kenya’s leading varsity, University of Nairobi.
The protests had started 2 days ago in some campuses including Kikuyu and Main Campus where the protests were largely felt.
‘Candidates who lost the election should stick to democracy and come back to work together with me so as we can serve the students,’ said Babu Owino who is alleged to have bribed and rigged the election in his favour.
Earlier ago, police officers who were said to be dispersing the students are accused of molesting female students who were found in the bath rooms.
Maurine Kinya an education student from Kikuyu Campus equated Babu Owino’s win and regime to that of Robert Mugabe, a nonagenarian who has ruled Zimbabwe for more than decades.
According to Inspector Joseph Kamotho, police had released 30 students on the account that they were going to remain peaceful as they prepare for their exams which are commencing from this week. Nonetheless students went ahead to protest.
The student leader has already been sworn in as the newly elected SONU chairman with a landslide margin of more than 18,000 votes.
Mike Jacobs the prevalent complainant who came third has not come to the media so far despite efforts to reach him.
The student union’s constitution only allows an incumbent chairperson to rule for a maximum of one term, but Babu Owino’s fourth term re-election has raised eye-brows.
He claims only to step down only when he assumes the Embakasi East Constituency Seat which he is going to contest in a year’s time.
By Simon Ingari
