On Monday, November 11, what was intended as a peaceful demonstration turned violent when the police arrived to repel the students at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Jkuat).
The students were protesting against cases of insecurity in Juja, however, the day ended with a number of students nursing serious injuries inflicted on them by the police.
In a video sent to Kenyans.co.ke, policemen are seen brutally beating up a student with one officer going to the extent of stomping on the student's head.
In the background, the students who recorded the video are heard screaming and sympathising with their fellow comrade, but the fear of what they were witnessing stopped them from helping him.
The Jkuat student's governing council had prior issued a notice of the protests. The council had revealed that the protests would be carried out in a peaceful manner outside the university's Gate B.
"Due to rampant cases of insecurity in Juja and total failure of the relevant authorities to protect comrades and their properties, we call upon all the students to show up outside gate B to evoke a fundamental right of expression through peaceful demonstration and picketing and present our petition to the relevant authorities," read the communication from the student leaders.
It was revealed to this writer that the students held the protest regardless of a directive by the university's administration calling for calmness.
JKUAT Deputy VC (Academic Affairs), Robert Kinyua, put out a memo announcing the indefinite closure off the university.
"In a special meeting of Senate held on Monday, 11th November 2019 at 10.00am, it was resolved that the university closes until further notice. Consequently, all students are directed to clear from the campus by 11.30am," read the statement.
Here is a video of the horrifying incident.
