Church joins in mourning 16 students killed in Kenyan dormitory fire

The Church in Kenya has joined the rest of the country in mourning the deaths of 16 students who lost their lives in a fire incident that occurred at the Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, in Kenya’s Nakuru County. The town of Gilgil, located in southwest Kenya, has a population of about 19,000 people.

The May 28 fire that broke out at 1:oo in the morning also injured 79 other students.

Archbishop Anthony Muheria of the Archdiocese of Nyeri expressed condolences to the families of the deceased students and warned politicians against politicizing the tragedy.

“There are moments of keeping quiet, and perhaps this is one of them, as we look at the solution and the findings of what was the cause of this incident,” the cleric said on Sunday.

 “We hope that this tragedy will not be used by our political class in order to bring new political rhetoric seeking mileage from tragedy. We pray that we can let these families bury their children and say farewell to them in peace.”

Bishop Cleophas Oseso Tuka of the Diocese of Nakuru called on students, teachers, and parents to embrace dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution following the tragedy.

“Problems should not be solved through violence or fire. They should be resolved through dialogue, understanding, and consultation,” Bishop Oseso said.

He added that the sixteen students “did not die because they were sick, nor because they were involved in an accident. They died in a fire, a very painful death.”

He said that “innocent and promising children died, some of whom may not even have understood what was happening. A mother bids farewell to her child when she reports back to school, only to later receive a phone call informing her that her child is dead. There was no joy yesterday, only tears, sorrow, and grief. What an immense sorrow.”

Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, described the deaths as “heartbreaking” and noted that it is a “reminder that neglect of stipulated standards by government officials has very expensive consequences.”

“This must not be another anecdote in our history, rather, a turning point when the nation says enough is enough and takes action to protect learners in school environments.”

Rev. Jackie Makena, a Methodist pastor, expressed sadness at the fact that young people have to die while pursuing their dreams.

“It is the prayer of every parent to get their kids back home after school, but unfortunately, these parents did not get theirs back. Others have injured children or have children in the hospital.”

“It is so worrying, and I pray for peace. I pray that justice will prevail and the root cause of all this will be known,” she said.

The Church and Clergy Association of Kenya on Sunday issued a statement exposing the failures in safeguarding children in boarding schools, and calling for accountability from the Ministry of Education.

“The church is particularly concerned that the government has not put in stringent measures to ensure that boarding schools are a safe haven for our children. As it is, most boarding schools are a death trap, and we urge the government of Kenya to put in resources and engage education experts to ensure that this incident does not recur,” it said.

President William Ruto said he was saddened by the loss of the children and sent condolences to the bereaved families.

“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil,” the president said in a statement, May 28.

“No words can truly ease the pain of losing young lives filled with promise, hope, and dreams for the future. As a nation, we mourn with the parents, guardians, teachers, and fellow students who are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” he said.

“Our immediate attention is focused on the rescue of those affected, the treatment of the injured, and support for their families, while investigations continue into the cause of the fire. May God grant comfort and strength to the grieving families during this painful time.”

Reports say nine students have been arrested in connection with the suspected arson attack, with interrogations revealing that the fire was started by lighting a mattress at the dormitory’s exit using a matchstick and paraffin. No motive has been revealed so far.

The Human Rights Commission of Kenya has called out the Ruto administration, asking how many children must die before it takes action.

The Commission goes back in history, explaining that the May 28 fire incident isn’t an isolated case, but part of a pattern of fire disasters that have gutted several boarding schools in Kenya.

In a statement, the Commission cited the 2024 fire that consumed Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri, killing 21 innocent boys, as well as the deadly school fires and disasters at St. Kizito in 1991, Bombolulu Girls in 1998, Nyeri High School in 1999, Kyanguli Secondary School in 2001, Asumbi Girls in 2012, and Moi Girls, Nairobi, in 2017.

In 2018 alone, at least 60 cases of school arson attacks were recorded, the statement said.

The Commission blamed the continued fire outbreaks and resulting deaths on failure to implement existing safety standards.

“Kenya has clear school safety rules through the Ministry of Education’s Safety Standards Manual for Schools. These rules require enough space in dormitories, emergency exits, doors that open outward, fire extinguishers, regular fire drills, disaster readiness plans, secure school grounds, and regular checks to keep students safe,” it said.

“However, despite these clear standards, they are not followed. As a result, lives continue to be lost in foreseeable and preventable tragedies.”

“The failure to enforce school safety standards and architectural requirements to ensure disaster and emergency readiness often results in devastating loss of human lives,” added Rev. Canon Chris Kinyanjui, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya.