Twenty seven students from Kenyatta University have been summoned before the disciplinary committee following riots after the discovery of ballot materials in one of the campus buildings in mid March.
The students are expected to appear before the disciplinary team on Thursday to explain their role in the riots that left a car belonging to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission burnt.
Riots erupted at the university’s main campus in mid March after students discovered ballot materials in one of halls at the time when the election of Uhuru Kenyatta was facing a petition by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
One of the students, Luke Ochieng’ Odongo, however claims the institution is targeting them based on their support of parties that participated in the March 4 election.
Odongo who spoke to Capital FM News says that he was not at the institution when the incident occurred and that he only learnt of it on social media before he accompanied CORD leaders to the university.
“This to us is total victimisation because for me personally I was not in session; I was out of school. I came after the incident (but I am being targetted for) being a supporter of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and a student by extension,” he alleges.
After the Incident, the IEBC said the ballot papers and other materials found at the university were used during the pre-election simulation exercise and were even unmarked.
“The documents found are only unmarked ballot papers and ballot boxes used during simulation. These materials are well secured for retrieval to the warehouse in Kasarani office,” the IEBC communication office clarified.
The commission expressed displeasure that students resorted to chaos yet the papers were unmarked.
The commission regretted that politicians played a role in inciting the students to demonstrate over something that was far from the truth and also a serious allegation against the IEBC.
With controversy over alteration of election results, the commission further clarified that it was not possible to alter any results since they had already been declared in forms 34 which were already in the public domain.
Materials found in the hall included ballot boxes, books, papers, rubber stamps, luminous jackets and lanterns.
- Capital FM News