A standoff unfolded at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Karen Campus after Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was blocked from entering the institution where he had been invited to address law students at a governance forum.
Sifuna arrived at the campus with his motorcade but was stopped at the gate after the university administration reportedly cancelled the event at short notice.The senator said he had accepted an invitation from the student leadership to attend the inaugural Law, Policy and Governance Forum, only to find the event had been called off.
“We came to JKUAT Karen on the invitation of the student leadership for their inaugural Law, Policy and Governance Forum, but the administration has abruptly cancelled the event and denied us access to the institution. Totally uncalled for,” Sifuna said.
Photo|Edwin Sifuna addressing journalists at JKUAT Karen Campus
The cancellation triggered tension at the campus as students and other attendees sought an explanation for the sudden decision.A university official reportedly told those gathered that the meeting had been postponed over concerns about possible student unrest and the absence of some professors.
“We don’t want students to cause chaos. We have postponed the meeting; then we will invite them again later,” the official said.
Despite initially being denied entry, Sifuna was later allowed into the campus for a private meeting with university management.The circumstances surrounding the cancellation remained unclear, with the university yet to publicly provide a detailed explanation of the decision.
Sifuna later suggested an alternative venue for the engagement, saying the students could be invited to Parliament for discussions on law, policy and governance.The incident comes amid heightened attention to engagements between political leaders and university students, particularly forums dealing with governance and public affairs.