Students of Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) during a protest on July 25, 2017 over alleged grabbing of the institution's land. [Photo: Business Daily]
KIST students on Tuesday engaged police in running battles during demonstrations over alleged grabbing of the institution's Sh32 billion land by the school's Board of Trustees.The students barricaded roads leading to the institution using bonfires and huge rocks forcing police officers to shoot in the air and lobe teargas canisters to disperse the unruly group.The students vowed to be holding similar protests every Thursday until the land that they claim was grabbed was reverted back to the college."We are demanding that trustees surrender 2000 acres belonging to the school they have grabbed," said Simon Wandering, a student leader.This was the second time the students were protesting over the matter.In July, they poured to the streets after reports indicated the institute may have lost the land to grabbers.KIST's Board of Management Chairman Kamau Kairu told journalists they were following up on the matter.The institution was founded by President Jomo Kenyatta in 1971.