Pwani University closed due to lack of water

Pwani University in Kilifi County has been closed after students threatened to protest over the lack of water in the institution for a week.

According to student leaders, there had been a stampede at the institution on Monday night after all taps went dry for six days leaving more than 700 students who reside in the institution frustrated.

Police had to be called in when a group of locals took advantage of the stampede to vandalise and steal from the institution.

The student leader in the Academic docket, Kennedy Owago, said that the school had to be closed indefinitely to avert possible crisis adding that the management have told them that the shortage had affected the entire Kilifi and Mombasa Counties.

Speaking while addressing the public during Mashujaa Day celebrations, Kilifi County Governor Amason Kingi said Coast Water Services Board (CWSB) had shut down the pumping machines at the Lango Baya water wells over a debt incurred before county governments came into being.

Kingi said the company had incurred a debt of Sh480 million since 2005 under the former local authorities.

The closure has led to an acute water shortage in all parts of the county and parts of Mombasa counties with fear of waterborne diseases engulfing the residents.

Cases of University closure have been rampant in the country in recent past. Mombasa Technical University also closed down indefinitely this week after students went on strike to protest fee increment at the University.

The students went on rampage and barricaded roads around the institution in Tudor Estate over claims that the tuition fees had been increased by 5 to 6 per cent.

The fee hike translates to Sh3,000 to Sh7,000 depending on the course the students take.

Two lorries belonging to the Mombasa County Government were torched while police were engaged in running battles with the rioting students, forcing them to use tear gas to disperse them.

Following the demonstrations, all roads leading to the institution were closed as the institution’s administration called for a crisis meeting.

The administration also closed the institution as they sought to resolve the matter.

This comes barely weeks after Maseno University’s Main Campus was closed indefinitely following riots that led to the death of student.

A section of students said the chaos began after police lobbed teargas at them during their campus presidential campaigns, leading to running battles that saw one of them lose his life.

In a statement, Maseno University Vice Chancellor Catherine Akinyi Muhoma said that the university environment had become volatile and therefore not conducive for learning giving the students an order to vacate the premises.