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The University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor Prof Stephen Kiama has apologised over an ‘insensitive memo’ addressed to its students by the Director of Security and Safety Services at the institution.

The memo was written by the institution’s Director of Security and Safety Services addressed to all students.

The memo was authored on February 24 and titled ‘cases of robbery and rape involving female students’.

Professor Kiama has faulted the response in the February 24 memo.

“I have noted that the memo was insensitive and does not represent the corporate values and image of the University of Nairobi,” wrote Kiama.

The earlier memo

In the earlier memo, the Director of Security and Safety Services was responding to rising insecurity within the institution which had exposed female students to robbery and rape.

In the memo, the director highlighted the identified black spot areas and blamed the student’s for ‘recklessness’.

“In all the three incidences reported since last year, a clear case of recklessness on the part of female students can be drawn,” stated the director in the memo.

The director had highlighted a case where a rape victim met her fate after ‘entertaining herself’ and walked back to campus ‘alone and drunk’.

As a safety measure, the director had advised students not to attend social places without friends.

Prof Kiama, however, disowns the February 24 memo saying that it does not represent the institution’s corporate values.