The family of Meru University student leader Evans Njoroge who was shot dead by police on Tuesday during a demonstration demand justice and the shooters prosecution.

The family in Longonot, Naivasha, is still coming to terms with the killing of their son. Some relatives collapsed when they received the news. Njoroge’s father Peter Gathuri and friends went to Meru.

“We received a call from a relative, moments after my son was murdered. We hope the officer responsible will be arrested and charged in court,” Gathuri said.

Police have declined to comment on the killing, but Ipoa is investigating.

“Ipoa has dispatched its Rapid Response Unit to investigate the incident with a view to establishing circumstances of the shooting,” head of communications Dennis Oketch said in a statement yesterday. He said if an officer is found culpable will face the full force of the law.

“Once investigations are done, the authority will make recommendations and forward the file to the ODPP,” Okatch said.

CLASHED OVER FEES

Njoroge was the secretary general of the students’ union. He led a demonstration against the institution’s management. He had on several occasions clashed with the management over students’ rights.

On February 2, he accused the management of hiking fees and failing to adhere to the ministry of Education guidelines. Vice Chancellor Japhet Magambo denied violating the guidelines.

Before he was killed, Njoroge had said, “We’re here to continue our push for justice. We ask the ministry to look into the fee issue. While other universities pay Sh33,000 per year, we must pay more than Sh50,000.”

He accused Magambo of failing to honour a pledge to reduce fees by Sh8,500 as agreed in a meeting between management and student leaders.

Gathuri said they do not understand why his fourth-born child was killed. He told the Star on the phone that Njoroge was a disciplined child and a role model to many in his home area. The family had high hopes for him.

“We’ve recorded a statement at Meru police station. We hope justice will prevail,” the father of seven said.

A postmortem is to be conducted in Meru before the body is transferred to Naivasha for burial.

Friend Charles Mburu expressed shock. He said Njoroge was one of the best brains they had. Mburu, also a youth leader in Nakuru county, said the government must end spiralling extrajudicial killings.

protests to continue

Naivasha Professionals’ Association secretary general Absolom Mukuusi said, “It’s a big blow to the country’s intellectual bank. It ultimately hurts the country’s efficiency in administering professionalism in leadership and economy,” he said.

Meanwhile, students have said they will not relent on their demands and are ready to carry on in Njoroge’s name even if it means the school will remain closed for five years.

The institution was closed indefinitely on February 1, but most students declined to go home. The students and community have been calling for the removal of vice chancellor Magambo. They accuse him of poor administration and misappropriation of Sh40 million meant for a playing field. Magambo denied the accusations.

The killing of Njoroge has escalated the call for Magambo to resign. The standoff between the students and management has disrupted learning for an entire academic year. Students have held protests five times in one semester.

Former Tigania West MP Kilemi Mwiria, an educationist, had said the wrangles are politically instigated. He said the university should be led by a non-Meru. Mwiria said the university is marred by nepotism and ethnicism.

Students asked for dialogue and said the administration tends to call police to confront them whenever they raise issues, instead of talking. On February 2, the students stormed and demanded Tigania West MP John Mutunga address them after the campus was closed.

Students’ association chairman Wangila Wabomba and Njoroge had accused the administration of highhandedness and failure to resolve students’ grievances since last year.

Magambo, who is from Imenti, has blamed clan politics, claiming politicians from Tigania, where the institution is located, want him out.

Meru leaders, including Governor Kiraitu Murungi, condemned the killing.

“My heartfelt condolences to the family of the student and the entire university,” Murungi said.

He called for a thorough investigation into the killing.

DENNIS DIBONDO/