One killed as college students riot

One person was killed in Kilifi following violent clashes between Mombasa Polytechnic University College (MPUC) students and the neighbouring slum dwellers.

Mombasa Deputy OCPD Muturi Mbogo confirmed the Wednesday night incident and said Martin Anando, 63, was stoned to death amid fears that the slum dwellers were plotting to hit back at the students.

Despite the simmering tension between the two groups, there was visible police presence to repulse new violence.

There are conflicting accounts of the short triggers of the violence with slum dwellers accusing the students of harbouring a vendetta against the shanty town near the university college.

However, students claim the riots were started when one of their colleagues was robbed of a laptop and other belongings.

Injuries

A section of the slum is located on campus land and insecurity has featured prominently in the ongoing students’ election campaigns.

It is believed that drunken students walking from the campaigns descended on the slum dwellers after the alleged attack on the student sparked a riot.

The incident that left several other people with injuries is said to have started at around 8pm as a section of students were campaigning for their various candidates vying for different leadership positions in the college.

Cars passing near the slum, which is a few metres from the college, were damaged as the students barricaded the roads.It took the intervention of police officers to quell the tension by dispersing the students from the slums.