School fails to open after arsonists torch essential structures

Residents of Ol Moran in Laikipia County go try to salvage the remains of classrooms that were burnt down during a fire incident on Sunday night.

LAIKIPIA: Suspected arsonists on Sunday night set on fire six classrooms at Ol Moran primary school in Laikipia County.

Pupils from the school did not open Monday as planned as almost the entire classrooms were razed down by the fire.

Sosian ward representative Jacob Edung who confirmed the incident said all the six classrooms were reduced to ashes during the incident.

He said that although the arsonists have not been found, the classrooms were separated in two timber blocks that were wide apart and it is puzzling how the fire spread form one block to another.

"Residents rushed to the scene and managed to salvage only a small portion of the building and noted that there were papers gathered in one of the remaining buildings which indicated that the arsonists were prepared to burn all the building blocks," he said.

Desks, charts and other materials used for learning were lost during the inferno. The school is among the best in the region in terms of academic performance.

MCA Edung urged local residents to volunteer information to the police, saying this will speed up apprehension of the suspects.

"Most likely, someone might have seen the suspects hence his information will be of great help not only to the police but to the residents of this area who are so much upset by the incident," he said.

Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu sent his procurement team to assess the damage and buy fresh building materials with the county emergency kitty.

The reconstruction work was expected to begin on Tuesday to ensure that learning resumes as soon as possible by the time we went to press.