NAIROBI, August 6 – The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology was closed indefinitely on Wednesday and all students sent home after they went on the rampage to protest increased food prices at their canteen.
The decision was reached by the University Senate, fearing that the students may engage in more destruction of property.
The students had run riot earlier in the morning, blocking part of the Nairobi-Thika highway where they torched two vehicles, stoned motorists and passers-by.
Police had to shoot in their air and lob tear gas canisters to disperse them.
“We have dispersed them and the situation is now back to normal. There is tension at the institution but our officers are still maintaining security on the highway,” Central Provincial CID chief Sebastian Ndaru said.
The students were only given 30 minutes to vacate the institution when they failed to resume classes as ordered by the administration.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Truck loads of anti-riot officers from Thika and Ruiru police stations were stationed outside the institution to maintain security as the students vacated.
Meanwhile, two suspected gangsters were shot dead in separate robbery incidents in Nairobi early Wednesday morning.
One of the suspects was gunned down on Uhuru Highway when he allegedly robbed a pedestrian of his mobile phone and money.
Central divisional Police chief Tito Kilonzi said the slain thug was in the company of two other men who escaped.
“This is a notorious gang that has been terrorizing pedestrians during early hours of the morning,” he said.
He said they had recovered the mobile phone and money stolen from the victim.
Another robbery suspect was felled at the Jeevanjee gardens at about 10 pm.
Kilonzi said the slain thug was felled when he was allegedly found vandalizing a vehicle that was parked on Moi Avenue.
