The education cabinet secretary, Fred Matiang’i has stated that public universities have competent councils and senates that can handle the disagreements in their institutions.
“We do not want to micromanage public universities yet we have appointed people with required competencies to lead them. We want them to remain independent,” said Matiang'i.
The CS condemned the destruction of property that was witnessed especially in The University of Nairobi, where Students set ablaze the SONU offices in protests of the re-election of Babu Owino for a fourth term.
A total of four universities have been closed due to demonstrations including Laikipia University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology which were closed this year.
Chuka University was also closed earlier this year. Other universities which have also experienced strikes in recent months include Maasai Mara University and Moi University Eldoret main campus.
Masinde Muliro University was closed after a strike against the decision by the university administration to bar students with tuition fees balance from sitting their exams. Laikipia University students, on the other hand, protested the failure by the institution to register bio-chemistry and bio-medicine science courses with the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board.
The CS early this week directed all universities to conduct biometric registration of students in efforts to tighten security in the universities.
The institutions were given a 120 days ultimatum to comply with the direction.