UPDATE: Education CS Magoha visits Kakamega Primary school where 14 students died

Leaders converge at Kakamega Primary School following Monday's stampede that claimed the lives of 14 pupils [COURTESY]

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha, Government Spokesman Cyrus Oguna and Basic Education PS Dr Belio Kipsang have on Tusday February 4 visited Kakamega Primary School where 14 pupils died following a stampede on Monday February 3. 

The stampede happened around 5 pm as the pupils were going home. In the incident, 14 pupils lost their lives. As at midnight Monday, two pupils were at the Kakamega Referral Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 39 others nursing injuries.

Following the stampede, parents and relatives converged at the school seeking to know the whereabouts of their children, only for some to find out that some were among the dead.

How it happened

According to one of the pupils, the stampede happened after one of them tried to block a group that was going down the stairs on the third floor. One pupil is said to have forcefully pushed the group down the stairs, unfortunately causing stampede.

14 pupils died after the stampede at Kakamega Primary School [COURTESY]

"I was going downstairs after classes when I heard some boys behind me playfully push each other. It is something they often do. In no time, however, a commotion ensued and some of those who were on the staircase fell off others. I lost my footing when pushed and other students fell on top of me. I remained pinned down until help came from boda boda operators nearby. I was hurt on the leg but was lucky to have been taken to a nearby clinic where I was treated and discharged. There was no teacher beating students as had been alleged," explained Alphaville Keng'ore, a Grade 5 pupil who survived the stampede.

By midnight, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Senator Cleophas Malala, Lurambi MP Titus Kahamala, former ACK Maseno North Bishop Simon Oketch, Regional commissioner Anne Ng'etich, Regional Police Commander Peris Kimani, county police commander Bernard Muli and Regional Education officer Steven Barongo had all visited the victims in hospital.

Ms Ngetich said the school will be reopened upon completion of investigations to establish what caused the stampede.

Addressing the media, Ngetich said two information command desks will be opened on Tuesday one at the hospital and the other one at the school.