Maranda High closed after fire tragedy

By Mangoa Mosota

Maranda High School in Siaya County has been closed indefinitely and students sent home after two successive fire tragedies that razed down dormitories.

The school that hit the headlines after emerging the best in the secondary school in the country with results of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary School examinations was ordered closed by the County Commissioner of Education Nerea Olik.

The Principal Boaz Owino said the students were stressed following the two fire tragedies and the board resolved to send the students home as they reaorganise accomodation arrangements.

The fierce fire down a dormitory in Maranda High School near Bondo township, making it the second such incident in a week.

The 5.30am inferno is believed to have been as a result of an arson attack as one suspect was arrested by students, disguised in school uniform.

The students were in morning preps but would not manage to salvage any property from the dormitory that houses close to 150 Form One and Two students.

“The students caught up with one suspect who was dressed in the school's uniforms,” a teacher at the institution told The Standard. A second suspect was arrested by police officers for questioning.

The learners beat up the suspect and seriously injured him, before they took him to the nearby Maranda DO’s office.

It is reported that the suspect said he was not alone, and at the time undertook casual work at the school.

Bondo OCPD Paul Kiare declined to comment on the incident; only said that he would provide details later.

Last Sunday, a dormitory housing 283 Form Four students was razed down.

Questions are being raised as to whether the Sunday fore was, also as result of an arson attack. It was reported to have resulted from an electric fault.

A shaken parent, whose son was housed in the affected hostel, but declined to be named, said he was scared and drove to from his home in Kisumu to Maranda to get details.

The institution emerged top in last year’s KCSE, beating rivals such as Alliance and Starehe Boys Centre.