College shut as striking students are freed on bail
The entrance to Pangani Police Station in Nairobi County.
What you need to know:
- Six students were granted cash bail of Sh10,000 each for inciting their colleges.
- Of the six students who were granted cash bail, only two had managed to post bail.
Some 102 out of 108 students arrested on Tuesday for taking part in an illegal demonstration at Nairobi Technical Institute have been unconditionally released from Pangani Police Station.
The students were released on Wednesday following the intervention by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) through its advocate, Ian Mutiso.
However, six students were granted cash bail of Sh10,000 each for inciting the rest of students to demonstration.
According to Mr Mutiso, of the six students who were granted cash bail, only two had managed to post bail while four were still making efforts to raise the funds.
“We managed to have 102 released unconditionally. We are still waiting for the remaining Sh4 to raise their cash bail before the end of the day,” Mr Mutiso told Nation.Africa on phone.
On the allegation of students’ rights being violated by being detained for more than 24 hours, the advocate said the station DCIO informed him that the students were arrested at 4pm on Tuesday and not in the morning hours.
“I will be returning there (police station) to confirm if the rest have been released and we will see what to do from there,” Mr Mutiso said.
This comes after a long day for the parents of the arrested students. The parents spent the better part of the day outside the police station.
Parents claimed that they were informed late in the evening about the arrest of their children, and not seeing them back at home on Tuesday caused panic to them.
On Wednesday, the police lobbed gas canisters again to disperse a group of students and parents who were demanding the release of detained students. The parents accused the police of unlawful detention of the students.
Sarah Wairimu, a parent, said they arrived at the police station in the morning but neither the police nor the college inform them about the arrests.
“We were not aware that our children had been arrested. The police and the college have been taking us round in circles without telling us anything. We don’t know what to do now,” Ms Wairimu said.
The parents also accused the college of failing to address the students’ concerns, including allegations of mismanagement of the institution and effecting fee increments without consultation.
“It is not right to have our children locked up in the police station since yesterday (Tuesday), yet the college is silent about it. They (the police) have refused to let us to see them,” Grace Atieno said, who is also a parent.
The college’s Chief Principal Dr Glory Mutungi issued a notice of closure on Tuesday afternoon, directing all students to vacate the institution, with the exception of those doing their exams.
“This is to inform you that the institute shall remain closed from Tuesday 22 until further notice. Only students who are undertaking CDACC/KNEC examinations, which starts on Wednesday, will be allowed in the institute and must carry students ID card during the period,” the internal memo reads.
Dr Mutungi left the school premises as agitated parents and students demanded an explanation as to why some students were still being detained by the police.
Attempts by Nation.Africa to reach Dr Mutungi on phone for comments were unsuccessful. She hung up when she heard that the media was pursuing the matter.
A first year student, Daren Fadhili, who is supposed to be sitting for his Automatic Engineering examination said the fee increment has forced him to defer his exams to next year.
“I’m unable to sit that exam because I have been locked out of school. My parents are not in a position to raise the fees,” Mr Fadhili said, adding that the college should have consulted parents before effecting the fee increment.
According to some of the students, the college increased the fee from Sh60,000 to Sh72,000 without their knowledge. They said the increment was effected this term.
