Kenya is mourning once again. The tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil that claimed the lives of 16 innocent students and left dozens injured is not just another school accident. It is a national shame, a painful reminder that we continue to fail our children despite years of promises, investigations, and recommendations after similar tragedies.
As a Kenyan who has lost a cousin in this heartbreaking incident, I write not only with grief but also with anger. No parent sends a child to school expecting to receive a death notification. Schools are meant to be places of safety, learning, and hope. Instead, for some families, Utumishi Girls became a place where dreams ended in smoke and flames.
What hurts even more is that many of the concerns emerging from preliminary investigations sound painfully familiar. Reports indicate possible overcrowding, locked exits, and failures in safety compliance. Authorities have already dissolved the school’s Board of Management, while investigations continue into allegations that warning signs may have been ignored.
One of the most disturbing questions is about basic safety standards, especially dormitory windows and emergency exits. According to school safety regulations, dormitory windows are supposed to be easily opened, wide enough for emergency escape, and free of grills or barriers that could trap students during fires. Emergency exits must remain accessible at all times. Yet early reports and survivor accounts suggest some students may have struggled to escape through windows that were either restricted or difficult to access. This raises a serious concern: Were safety policies ignored or not enforced at all?
Even more painful are emerging questions about response and responsibility within the school. Reports are suggesting that warning signs and early alarm indications may have been ignored or not acted upon in time by some teachers and school officials. If confirmed, this would represent a devastating failure of duty of care.
This raises difficult but necessary questions. How many school fires must occur before safety regulations are fully enforced? How many commissions of inquiry must be formed before recommendations stop gathering dust on office shelves? How many young lives must be buried before accountability becomes more than a public statement?
Kenya has witnessed similar tragedies before. From Kyanguli to Moi Girls and other school fire disasters, we have repeatedly promised that lessons would be learned. Yet every few years, another dormitory becomes a death trap, and another group of parents is left identifying their children in morgues.
The conversation should go beyond determining who started the fire. While investigations into suspected arson are important, we must also examine the systems that allowed a fire to become so deadly. A properly prepared school should have accessible emergency exits, functional fire alarms, extinguishers, regular fire drills, and dormitories designed to protect students during emergencies.
The government, school administrations, education stakeholders, and parents must treat this tragedy as a turning point. Every boarding school should undergo an immediate independent safety audit. Any institution that fails to meet safety standards should face swift action. As we mourn the girls who never returned home, let us honour them through action rather than speeches.
As a country, we owe these children more than condolences. We owe them justice, accountability, and meaningful change.
