University Students Suspend HELB Friday Protests, Give Alternative

The Kenya University Student Organization (KUSO) on Thursday, March 30 suspended its planned weekly demonstrations that were to commence on Friday, March 31 over the delayed disbursement of Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) loans.

KUSO president, Anthony Manyara, in a statement revealed that the suspension was occasioned by the accident involving a Pwani University bus at Kayole area in Naivasha which has since claimed 18 lives.

Manyara further called upon Kenyans to join the rest of the country's university students as they mourn their departed comrades.

"As you are also aware, the comrades' fraternity has been thrown into deep and sorrowful mourning following a tragic road accident involving a Pwani University bus that occurred on Thursday, 30th March 2023. The accident has so far claimed the lives of 16 comrades. May they rest in power and eternal peace.

"In light of the unfortunate occurrence, KUSO has resolved to suspend this week's Friday protests scheduled for 31st March in respect and solidarity with the mourning of the fallen Pwani University comrades across all our institutions. We urge all Kenyans to join us as we mourn our departed colleagues," he stated in part.

Manyara also urged all students in various institutions to assemble at university gates at 4 pm to pay their last respects to the Pwani University students who perished

He however noted that the student body had still put HELB on notice regarding the initial disbursements by the loans board for its continued desecration of comrades' rights and welfare and that new dates of protests would be announced.

He had stated on Thursday, March 23 that the KUSO leadership agreed that an invitation be sent to all students, parents, guardians and even lecturers to join in weekly nationwide student demonstrations until HELB loans are deposited to students' accounts.

"A message be conveyed to all students across the country that KUSO's leadership has exhausted all diplomatic and peaceful mechanisms of getting the HELB loans released, and thus we are left with no other option except to invoke the ruthless comrades' power," stated Manyara in part.

In terms of the accident, the Pwani University bus driver had instructed the students on board to put on their safety belts minutes before the crash, according to a survivor who spoke about the accident.

The student indicated that the driver raised an alarm after realising that the vehicle's brakes were faulty when the bus approached the Kayole area in Naivasha. The driver in his message had advised the students to put on the safety belts to ensure that they were safe in the event of any eventualities.

The survivor added that the driver also went out of his way to save their lives by attempting to bring the bus to a stop. It was revealed that the driver swerved along the road in search of potholes and bumps which would help reduce the speed of the vehicle.

However, all these efforts proved futile after the bus collided with a 14-seater matatu before overturning on the drainage adjustment on the Nairobi - Nakuru Highway.

"It was such bad luck that the brakes of our bus failed. The driver told everyone on the bus to put on their seatbelts. It is like he knew what was going to happen.

"After that, he tried controlling the vehicle and even aimed to hit bumps to see whether the bus would slow down but that proved futile," he stated.

Dashboard camera footage obtained by Viral Tea showed the university bus driving in the middle of the road at a high speed before the crash. Even though the accident was blamed on faulty brakes, the cause of the failure of the brakes was yet to be established.

The students at the university based in Kilifi County red-flagged the vehicle's faulty nature and staged protests in the school, questioning why a faulty bus was allowed to transport students.