Embu: Students of Kangaru School in Embu staged a night strike on Sunday protesting alleged assault of a form four student by a teacher. The boys later walked out of the school shortly after midnight, a scenario that left many startled as the students wandered along the streets of Embu Town in darkness.
According to Kenya News Agency, attempts by teachers and school guards to calm the enraged students were met with resistance, forcing them to call for police backup. However, not even the arrival of police could contain their fury, as some students broke through the gates while others jumped over the fence to escape.
The chaos reportedly erupted following reports that one of their colleagues had been beaten and injured by a teacher. The chaos left a trail of destruction as irate students hurled stones in the compound, shattering glass windows as the situation got out of hand.
Police officers were forced to patrol the town throughout the night to ensure order in the CBD and protect property and businesses from potential destruction. Embu West Sub-County Police Commander Vincent Kitili confirmed the incident, saying the students had reported the matter at Embu Police Station.
He said they later rounded up all students who had left school and placed them under security till morning at Embu Stadium to ensure their safety before allowing them to go home. He said investigations were underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault that triggered the unrest.
'We are probing the incident to determine exactly what transpired and whether there was any wrongdoing on the part of the teacher,' he stated. Journalists who tried to access the school were blocked at the main gate by security guards, who claimed they were acting on orders from the administration. Attempts to reach the school principal for comment were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages went unanswered.