NAIROBI, Kenya — Riara University has launched an internal review after a video circulating widely on social media appeared to show several women threatening and physically confronting another woman in what appears to be a public bathroom.
The university said on Friday, October 2, that it had been drawn into the controversy after reports emerged that some of the individuals shown in the footage were allegedly students at the institution.
“It has come to our attention that some of the individuals depicted in the video are reportedly students at Riara University,” the university said in a statement.
Riara University condemned the conduct depicted in the footage and said it did not condone violence, intimidation, bullying or harassment.
“Riara University unequivocally condemns violence, intimidation, bullying, harassment or misconduct in any form,” it said.
University begins internal review
The university said the reported incident did not take place on its premises.
It nevertheless said conduct involving its students could have disciplinary implications if it was found to breach the institution’s rules or values.
“While the alleged event occurred off-campus, such behaviour directly contradicts our institutional values and our code of conduct for students,” the university said.
Its leadership has now begun an internal review under the Student Code of Conduct and other institutional policies.
The university also said it would cooperate with investigative authorities.
It did not announce the suspension or expulsion of any student and did not confirm the identities of the people shown in the footage.
Viral footage sparks calls for accountability
The video has generated widespread reaction online, with users calling for accountability over what appears to be a confrontation involving Kenyan social media personality Jahenda.
Reports circulating online say the incident occurred in a club restroom, where several women allegedly surrounded and confronted Jahenda while another person recorded the encounter.
The footage appears to show the woman being ordered to run and jog on the spot while one of the women issues threats.
However, the video alone does not establish what led to the confrontation or provide the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
The identities of all those shown in the footage, including claims that particular individuals are Riara University students, have not been independently established.
The online reaction has included calls for the university to investigate any students who may have been involved. The hashtag #justiceforjahenda has also been used in posts discussing the incident.
Apologies reported
Some online reports have subsequently said that two women associated with the incident issued apologies.
One report attributed an apology to a woman identified as Vanayah, while another person said to have recorded the video reportedly acknowledged that the conduct was unacceptable.
Those accounts have not been confirmed by Riara University, and the university has not publicly identified any student as being responsible for the incident.
Off-campus conduct raises disciplinary questions
Riara University’s decision to review the incident highlights the wider question of how universities deal with alleged misconduct involving students away from campus.
The university’s statement makes clear that the reported location of the incident does not automatically place it outside the institution’s disciplinary framework if the conduct is connected to students and falls within applicable university rules.
Also Read: Eight Utumishi Girls students plead not guilty to murder charges
Riara University says its core purpose is “Empowering lives, Impacting communities”, with integrity and ethical conduct among its stated institutional values.
For now, however, the university has stopped short of announcing disciplinary measures.
Its review is expected to establish whether the people depicted are Riara students, determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and assess whether any university rules were breached.
The case remains under review, while the video continues to fuel public debate over bullying, harassment and accountability among young people.
