One tutor at Strathmore said students, who had not been informed about the security drill, panicked in fear that the exercise was another attack by al Shabaab militants. “A terror drill is being conducted at Strathmore University”.
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Instead, it practically turned into one: At least one staff member died and dozens of students and staff were injured – several critically – after they fled campus or jumped out of windows to avoid what they perceived to be an actual terrorist ambush.
They include an April massacre at Garissa university in which 148 people were killed, and a 2013 assault on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall that killed 67.
A 33-year-old female employee “has died from severe head injuries”, the university’s communications director Betty Ngala said. Two people were in critical condition, said Dr Evans Mwendwa at Nairobi West Hospital.
Students reported hearing a number of gunshots during the incident, but it is not known whether the gunshots were from live ammunition or blanks.
The university said in a statement that rubber bullets had been shot during the simulation, which was “aimed at testing the preparedness of the university community and emergency team”.
The death and injuries were a result of a stampede that followed the drill as students and members of staff scampered to safety. The university said, “We have started an intensive assessment of key lessons learnt during this simulation”.
“It’s terrifying when you see your fellow classmates jumping from 3rd floor and there is nothing you can do”, one user wrote.
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Following the terror attack at Garrissa University, it was discovered that there was need to review the security situation in all institutions of higher learning.
