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Tension at University amid tussle over exam timetable


Tension was high at the University of Nairobi on Monday as administrators and student leaders tussled over the schedule of end of semester examinations.

Student leaders want the exams, scheduled to start on Monday, to be pushed forward by a week to give students time to revise for the exams.

They cited the week-long strike by university lecturers and the last week’s students’ election as grounds to justify postponement of exams.

However the University’s administrators dispatched exam question papers in the morning to respective examination rooms where scores of students sat waiting.

The newly elected student leader Paul Ongili, alias Babu Owino, said the students need more time to prepare for the exams.

“When the lecturers wanted their dues, they downed their tools till an agreement was reached.This affected learning and most syllabuses were not completed. That is why students should be given a week to prepare,” said Mr Ongili.

At the American Wing, which houses the School of Engineering, students camped outside  exam rooms  demanding for their colleagues, who were inside seating for exams, to come out.

The protesting students  argued that no student should be discriminated and that those doing exams be told to get out.

Addressing  disgruntled colleagues  outside the American Wing,  student leader Chris Okewo said the Dean of the School of Engineering had said no exams will be done until they receive official communication.

“All students should wait for official communication on when exams will be done,” he said.

His words were greeted with an  applause.

The students had earlier on Monday morning conducted a peaceful demonstration demanding for the release of their colleagues arrested last week on Wednesday after a gun drama at the Lower Kabete campus.