NYERI, Kenya, Sep 25 – Karatina university has been closed indefinitely following demonstrations by students over increase of rent by landlords and matatus operating along Karatina Kagochi route.
More than ten thousand students were ordered to vacate the university premises by 3 pm after a meeting of the university council and security apparatus .
The students had engaged anti riot police officers in a day long battles .
Tension was high in the area after landlords in a effort to preempt damages to their houses hired villagers who armed themselves with crude weapons .
At onetime police were forced to lob teargas to prevent clashes between the two groups .
Confirming the closure of the institution Mathira east deputy county commissioner Debora Mwania told capital news that the students had complained that landlords were overcharging them with a bedsitter going for more than 8000 per month instead of 4000.
The students further complained that most of the rooms were in bad state and lacked basic facilities .
Mwania added that the matatu operators were also overcharging them and we’re demanding from them ksh 200 instead of 60 for the 6 kilometres trip from karatina town.
By the time of going to press students were packing their belongings and leaving the campus .
Source: capitalfm
