Eastleigh schools bear brunt of security swoops

By FAITH RONOH

NAIROBI COUNTY: Schools in Nairobi’s Eastleigh area have registered a fairly low turnout following the ongoing security operation in the region.

A spot check by The Standard revealed that students have suffered the brunt of the swoops, with some failing to turn up on the opening date.

According to students who spoke to us at Maina wa Njigi Secondary School, their friends failed to report because they are victims of the operation, their parents having been either deported or sent back to refugee camps.

“Most of our colleagues have not reported because their parents fled following the operation and they have now been left with the responsibility of taking care of their young ones,” said Hafsa Mohammed, a Form Three student at the school.

Hafsa said other students have also been arrested on several occasions, and that this has as well contributed to the low turnout.

The students now fear that their performance might be affected in the long run.

Geoffrey Omondi said some boys from the school who are over 18 years have been arrested on several occasions for lack of necessary documentation.

The school’s principal Ms Zuhura Rajab confirmed that being at the heart of Eastleigh, students have occasionally been arrested but released after consequent follow-ups by the management.  She however maintained that students would continue reporting as the week progresses.

One of the classes had registered only 18 students out of the total 30 with 90 per cent of the population being of Somali origin.