Rongo University was closed indefinitely on Tuesday, March 26, after students protested over a heated student council election.
The decision to close the university was made after a meeting of the Rongo University senate. Meanwhile, the deputy head of the Institution, Michael Ntabo, said in a letter that the Institution has been closed to prevent further damage as the government has launched an investigation into the cause of the riot.
“The Senate has decided that the university will be closed indefinitely due to the ongoing unrest arising from the student elections. All students are asked to vacate the campus immediately,” read part of the note to all students.
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Property worth millions of shillings was destroyed in the riots, although the police intervened in time to contain the situation.
What fueled the Riot
According to one of students in Rongo University, the unrest was fueled by disagreement on who was to lead the students. This saw coalitions formed based on ethnic line, according to the information it was a bantu against Nilote elections.
“Elections went wrong, eeh! mkuu coalition Nilotes vs Bantus. Luo kalees and Gusii, Luhya and Gikuyu on the other side. Kimeumana leo, Teargas! riots, wame course damage shule mzima hadi sasa tuna vacate school premises with immediate effect,” he said.
Students lit bonfires around the campus. The university authorities managed to stop the protest before they could control it.
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No injuries to students or staff have been reported. It was reported that during the closure of the office, elections were held and the nominees were duly announced.
Rongo University has held peaceful elections in the past for the delegate election process. However it is to be recorded that this protests began the previous week.
The police used tear gas to disperse the rioting students in the university, but no one was injured. This university is located in Migori County and has a high student reputation according to statistics from the Kenya University College and Schools Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
