Meru University was closed indefinitely on Monday by the institution’s senate after students went on the rampage following the death of their colleague.
The learners accused the university’s administration of negligence, saying it failed to treat their ailing colleague in good time.
Anti-riot police fired teargas to break the rioting students; several others were arrested in the ensuing melee.
Most of the first year students who reside within the campus were forced to seek refuge in the neighboring forest to avoid being arrested.
Traffic was paralysed for several hours on the Meru-Maua highway as the students barricaded the road.
“It is very sad that we have lost a student who had a very promising life ahead of him. But it happened a bit too fast, so we met as senate and deliberated and realised that it would be very insecure for us to go through the night,” deputy vice chancellor Gitonga Mburugu said.
“The health centre should be open all days of the week but it was closed,” a student said.
“When our friend developed chest complications, we rushed him to a clinic at the market and after being attended to, he became progressively worse,” another student added.
Dr Narman Mugambi, who received the student at the clinic, said he vomited then fell unconscious.
“He was brought by his colleagues and when I was listening to them, he started to vomit blood then fell unconscious. I told them to go fetch an ambulance then they took him away to another hospital,” Mugambi said.
According to Tigania West OCPD Joshua Opiyo, the students caused minimal damage to university facilities and some few kiosks within the periphery.
Opiyo said the student’s body was moved to Meru Level 5 hospital mortuary.