Civil society calls for Ogamba's resignation over Utumishi school fire tragedy

A section of the civil society has called for the resignation of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba over the fire tragedy at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County.

Addressing a press briefing in Nairobi, the Elimu Bora Working Group blamed the inferno that claimed the lives of 16 students on negligence and failure to enforce school safety standards by the senior ministry officials.

The group demanded immediate accountability over the tragedy, which left dozens injured, describing the incident as a “preventable disaster” caused by years of lax enforcement of safety regulations in Kenyan boarding schools.

“It has become apparent that in Kenya, people do not take responsibility, particularly our leaders,” said the CSO policy and strategy advisor, Boaz Waruku.

“This consistent loss of lives in schools, and no accountability being taken, is unacceptable.” he added.

Waruku demanded Ogamba’s resignation, warning that human rights groups would pursue political, legal, and constitutional means to force him out of office if he failed to step aside.

“We demand for his resignation,” he declared. “We cannot have somebody presiding over our ministry that is so careless, so negligent in a very incompetent manner, that people just keep losing their children.”

Waruku further accused the CS of failing to establish the Education Standards and Quality Assurance Council as required under Section 64 of the Basic Education Act.

He said the absence of the body had weakened independent oversight on school safety and quality standards.

“He has allowed technocrats within the ministry to continue playing politics because they do not want an independent council that can investigate and report back on safety issues in schools,” he stated.

The group also faulted President William Ruto’s administration for what they termed silence and inaction in the wake of recurring school disasters.

“How many children must die before the William Ruto regime acts?” they asked.

Elimu Bora also demanded full transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding the Gilgil fire and called for independent investigations into whether Utumishi Girls Academy had complied with all Ministry of Education safety regulations.

At the same time, they demanded accountability from all institutions and officers responsible for school inspections, licensing, monitoring, and enforcement of safety standards.

Among the proposals issued further involved a nationwide review of all boarding schools, mandatory surprise inspections, enforcement of closure notices against non-compliant institutions, and strengthening of the ministry’s Quality Assurance and Standards Department.

KHRC Executive Director Davis Malombe said state officers must be held personally liable for negligence leading to such tragedies.

“In civilised countries, when these kinds of disasters happen, the most honourable thing is normally to go home,” Malombe said. “You don’t even need public pressure for you to do the right thin

Malombe warned that rights groups were considering legal action against the Education CS, insisting the country had reached a point where individual accountability could no longer be avoided.

“We are very clear — this one has to end with accountability through political and legal actions,” he said.

The pressure comes even as Ogamba announced that investigations into the Thursday dawn tragedy were ongoing, adding that authorities would ensure those responsible are held accountable. 

“We will ensure thorough investigations are conducted and action taken against anyone found culpable,” Ogamba said.

However, Elimu Bora dismissed the ministry’s response as “too little, too late”, arguing that a series of school tragedies points to systemic failure rather than isolated incidents.

Among the most tragic incidents, the group highlighted include the 1991 St Kizito Secondary School tragedy, the Bombolulu Girls fire in 1998, Nyeri High School fire in 1999.

Kyanguli Secondary School inferno in 2001, Asumbi Girls fire in 2012, and the Moi Girls School Nairobi dormitory fire in 2017 we also cited.

Last year, the Hillside Endarasha Academy tragedy in Nyeri left 21 boys dead, reigniting concerns over safety in boarding schools.