Students from the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) tear-gassed in Nairobi

Students from the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) were teargassed by police outside the Ministry of Education offices in Nairobi’s Central Business District this afternoon.

The students had organized protests outside the Ministry on Tuesday, February 25, seeking explanations for the abrupt closure of their university.

While chanting slogans and holding signs, the students urged the government to take immediate action to resolve the crisis and ensure the university reopens.

Earlier, the university’s lecturers had announced plans for industrial action starting February 12.

They stated that the Ministry of Education had the ability to provide both short-term and long-term solutions to the issues faced by the staff.

The lecturers demanded a meeting between the ministry, the TUK council, and the unions, and insisted that staff members would escalate their strike until their demands were addressed.

However, it was not made clear whether such a meeting occurred.

As a result, the lecturers declared they would not attend classes beginning February 13, 2025, until their January salaries were paid. This led to significant disruptions in learning and other academic activities at the university.

“In light of the unexplained delay in the payment of January 2025 salaries, please be informed that our members will not report to work or fulfill their duties starting tomorrow, February 13, 2025, until salaries are paid,” the lecturers announced at that time.

Since then, students at the institution have not attended any lectures, lamenting the setback while their peers at other universities continue their studies.