Three injured, two dormitories torched as school unrest spreads

Two dormitories were on Monday morning set on fire at Wanguru Girls Secondary in Mwea East Sub County, Kirinyaga County in a recent wave of school fires and unrest facing the country.

Speaking to Citizen Digital, Mwea-East Deputy County Commissioner Geoffrey Targon said the fire started at around 5am and resulted in the destruction of 136 beds and students’ personal belongings.

He further stated that the incident could have involved people within and without the institution, adding that police have launched investigations into the matter.

Board of Governors Chairman Mr Ndambiri revealed that the school was aware that there was a threat of arson, but noted that the authorities did not act on the intelligence.

“What has happened here is unfortunate because we had word of it since Saturday when I was informed by some teachers that there was an arson threat. I spoke to the authorities advising that the school should be closed down immediately,” he said.

Elsewhere, three students sustained minor injuries and property worthy million of shillings razed down on Sunday night following a fire incident at Ndanai Girls’ Secondary School in Bomet County.

Confirming the incident, Sotik OCPD Mr Jonathan Ngala said the students who were in the dormitory during the incident got hurt as they tried to escape.

The students were rushed to Ndanai Hospital where they are receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, Siaya Deputy Governor Wilson Ouma Onyango has opposed the committee that was set up to investigate the increasing cases of school fires in the country.

Speaking in Bondo Constituency, Mr Onyango said that the committee should have constituted people with an education sector background so as to realise a viable solution.

The deputy governor, who is a teacher by profession, urged Education CS Fred Matiang’i to change his tact of storming into schools and tackle issues professionally.

The state of unrest in secondary schools in the country has seen approximately 100 schools torched and more than 100 students arrested and arraigned in court with arson charges.

Additional writing by Paul Barasa, Roseanne Ng’ang’a