University students may be suspended over ballot papers riot

By Wahome Thuku

NAIROBI, KENYA: Some 19 Kenyatta University students may be suspended over riots that hit the institution in March following claims that marked presidential ballot papers had been recovered on campus.

The students were grilled for hours by the University’s senate committee on Wednesday and Thursday.

The committee then recommended to the Vice Chancellor Prof Olive Mugenda that the students be suspended for between two to three academic years.

Sources at the university said the students were summoned to appear before the committee at the Vice Chancellor’s boardroom and have been doing do since Wednesday.  

The session was chaired by the Registrar Academics.

They students were accused of calling and addressing the press on campus without permission from the VC and for causing disturbances. They were questioned by the committee which comprises of dean of faculties, head of departments and lecturers.

On the night of March 15 this year, Kenyatta University students went on rampage following claims that marked presidential ballots had been recovered in a room at the institution.

Apparently, the ballot papers and boxes had been kept in a room rented by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for use as a store.

The students spotted electoral officials entering the room and confronted them. Upon discovering that there were electoral materials in the room the students raised alarm and called a section of political leaders.

Several Cord leaders drove to the university that evening and addressed the students. They included the then Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba and the then nominated MP Millie Adhiambo who is now Mbita MP.

The students burnt down a vehicle belonging to IEBC. They then marched out of the campus and blocked the busy Nairobi-Thika Superhighway for hours demanding that the incidence be investigated.

The riots happened only hours before Cord leader Raila Odinga filed a petition challenging the declaration of Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner of the March 4 presidential elections.

The IEBC later explained that the ballot papers and boxes had been used during the pre-election simulation exercise.

The IEBC blamed politicians for the chaos but Cord leaders maintained that the ballots were genuine and had been marked.