Why it is risky to be around varsity during power outage

University students demonstrate.  [PHOTO: FILE]

By EVELYNE NJERU

Nairobi, Kenya: Most Nairobi motorists dread being caught anywhere near University of Nairobi, main campus at night during a power blackout.

Whenever there is power outage, the students vent their anger and frustrations on motorists, most of who are even unaware of what is happening.

The rationale behind the arson can be summarised by Sean Vincent’s view that they are calculated to attract the attention of the media. “It is our SOS way of telling Kenya Power and Lighting Company that we literally live on electricity. It only takes a slight power outage for students to realise that electricity is everything to them,” says a student.

“Lights have a creepy habit of getting lost at the eleventh hour while we cram and drill seriously for end of semesters’ examinations and continuous assessments. It is this frustration that pushes students to the highways,” says Maureen Wafula, a student.

According to Thomas Njoroge, a third-year Psychology student,  the arsonists lack pragmatic reasoning and due to pride, they want recognition, but as a group.

“I don’t regret my reasoning, because some of them are Engineering students who understand best mechanical hitches that  cause blackouts.

Asked whether they graduate, a senior lecturer who wants his identity hidden says most of these goons do not complete their studies. The few who do keep in touch with the current students so as to carry on illegal businesses they had when they were students.

He says the cycle is recurrent, since innocent students are initiated and forced to take oaths by malicious groups which are either university-wide or even nationwide.

Funny enough, these bad guys still show up even after graduating to wreak havoc in the university once more. They keep wandering and idling around when their comrades are in for their lectures.

Jane Mugambi, a graduate of Physical Education and Biology says most of these students are hardly conspicuous from the rest just by look, making it difficult for the university to filter them out.

And what kind of students engage in such senseless acts?

Joseph Mugambi, a second-year Mass Communication student begs to differ on the perspective of the participants. According to him, the motivation behind the misbehaviour is abuse of drugs. To him, the arsonists are just a few bad elements that spoil the reputation and integrity of most students.

Power outage brings up a scene full of fun; it attracts the common students who love having fun.

This is because when tensions are high, motorists resort to over-speeding in a bid to escape stoning. It is at this moment when stoning becomes fun because the whole thing becomes like a computer game.