Garissa High School students on Wednesday morning went on a rampage, destroying property in protest of an alleged land grab.
The students complained that a section of their land had been grabbed and blocked the Mwingi-Garissa highway, seeking audience with the relevant authorities.
Last week, the students also took to the streets carrying placards reading “Our land, our school our future”.
[caption caption="Garissa High School Students Protesting"]
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Sensing danger, workers at the site hurriedly picked their tools and fled with students in hot pursuit. Nobody was injured.
Speaking to the press, the Student’s Council chairman Ahmed Mohamed said it’s wrong for developers to encroach on the land.
“We will fight whoever is behind the grabbing to the end, regardless of his or her position in the community,” he remarked.
Cases of land grabbing in schools are a common occurrence in Kenya and in March, Thika residents woke up to find beacons on yet-to-be developed parts of Heshima Primary School in Kiboko Estate.
The pupils removed all the beacons as they chanted ‘Shamba Letu’ (our land).
Residents warned against encroachment on the school compound and Mwangi Njuguna, representing MP Patrick Wainaina, added that the constituency will use CDF cash to fence the school and ward off grabbers.
He added that the legislator will not tolerate illegal acquisition of public property.
In 2015, police tear-gassed schoolchildren protesting against a politician's alleged move to seize their playground and turn it into a car park.
Pupils from Langata Road Primary School in Nairobi were at the front line of protesters pulling down a wall around their playground after it was acquired by a private developer.
At least 10 children were taken to hospital with injuries, including tear gas exposure to their eyes during the incident.
[caption caption="File Photo of Lang'ata Primary Pupils"]
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