Elders blame Mbale Boys' unrest on ignored cleansing rituals

Simon Muhindi ( brown blazer) the Maragoli elder during a press briefing at Mbale. [File, Standard] Fear and uncertainty have engulfed Friends Mbale Boys High School after Luhya elders linked the institution's persistent wave of unrest to ignored traditional cleansing rituals following past tragedies. The elders warn that until the school is spiritually cleansed, incidents of violence, arson, and indiscipline may continue. Mbale Boys, one of Vihiga County's largest schools with 1,422 students, has been in the spotlight for years due to violent disruptions and frequent fires. READ ALSO: Why schools are shaken by wave of unrest The troubles began in November 2021, when a dormitory was set ablaze just three days after several students had been arrested for suspected arson. The fire destroyed mattresses, boxes, bedding, and personal belongings, leaving behind heavy losses. Elders from the Maragoli community immediately cautioned that in their culture, burning a house-whether a dormitory or a home-is considered equivalent to murder and must be followed by cleansing rituals to avert a curse. They warned that failure to do so would invite future calamities. Their fears were heightened in March 2023 when tragedy struck again. Silas Owuor, a 28-year-old Business Studies teacher, was brutally attacked near the school's fence. Thugs reportedly robbed him of his phone and Sh80,000 he had collected from parents for student transport before fatally injuring him. Owuor had just completed disbursing the funds when news of his attack broke. The teacher's death shocked the school community and angered his relatives in Busia. At his burial, elders declared that Owuor's blood would haunt those responsible. According to Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Vihiga Executive Secretary, Sabala Inyeni, the elders warned that the curse would manifest within three years if no suspect was arrested. "I was there. They said unless the school and community acted, the spirits would not rest. If you count the years, that time has now come-and the unrest could be tied to that," Inyeni said. READ: SCHOOLS: Come rain or shine, Kenyans aim for some soft landing On May 26 this year, students went on a violent rampage, citing harsh treatment by some teachers. They vandalised windows, set part of a dormitory on fire, partly demolished the new perimeter wall, and stormed the Deputy Principal's office, destroying furniture, documents, and computers. At least 10 students were injured and rushed to hospital before being discharged. The school was then closed indefinitely. When learning resumed after a month, every student was required to pay full annual fees plus a Sh12,500 damage fee. Later, some accused ringleaders were asked to pay an additional Sh30,000-sparking outrage among parents, who called the penalties unfair and poorly explained. Even after reopening, tension lingered. On July 20, three classes were suspended over alleged involvement in the earlier arson. Fellow students demanded their reinstatement, threatening more unrest. Two days later on July 22, another dormitory went up in flames during morning preps. Ironically, police officers who had been stationed at the school overnight to prevent chaos had just left when the fire broke out. Once again, the school was closed indefinitely. To the elders, these recurring fires and violent incidents are not mere coincidences but signs of spiritual unrest rooted in ignored traditions. Senior elder John Lidede of the Maragoli Council of Elders explained that arson is a spiritual crime that requires cleansing. "In our culture, burning a house is like committing murder. You cannot escape the curse unless you undergo cleansing. Otherwise, you risk repeating arson, madness, calamity, or even death," said Lidede. According to him, cleansing rituals involve confession, ritual washing in running water, burning of clothes, and other rites. Without them, perpetrators risk being excommunicated from the community as their stay will bring future calamities to those around. "This is why some bright students who once excelled in school are later found roaming markets insane. People think it's witchcraft, but often it traces back to cases like arson in schools," Lidede warned. Elder Benard Ambani supported this view, saying the curse of madness after house-burning was an ancient safeguard against crime. "It ensured no one dared burn a house. If cleansing is not done, the curse continues to the next generation," he said. The elders are now urging parents to reconnect their children with grandparents and traditions so they can learn cultural values, norms, and respect. They say modern legal arrest and prosecution of culprits should also be enforced. The repeated chaos forced a stakeholders' meeting at the school. Participants cited poor management, harsh discipline, student indiscipline, drug abuse, and poor-quality food as possible causes. However, elders insisted that unresolved cultural issues lie at the heart of the unrest. "We all have a culture that we ought to follow. Events that have happened in this school are not normal ones, we need them looked into," said Janet Minayo. Their warning comes amid growing parental frustration over school management. On July 31, dozens of parents staged a peaceful protest outside the school, accusing administrators of corruption, mismanagement, and corporal punishment. "There has been no parental engagement since this unrest began in May," complained parent Mwanja Wamalwa. "We are stakeholders, but decisions are being made without us and forced on us." Another parent, Milton Esemwa, questioned how contraband such as drugs and matchboxes found their way into the school despite its secure perimeter with the presence of security guards. In response to the unrest, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has transferred Principal Peter Omutiti to Shiongo Secondary in Kakamega and replaced him with Manaseh Kagasi. Five teachers have also been redeployed in hopes of restoring order. Principal Omutiti has been nursing injuries after he narrowly escaped death during the Salgaa accident that claimed 13 lives in August 2024. The school's other Principal, Kennedy Okoth, died in a road accident in 2019. The Friends Church-sponsored school is now expected to reopen for third term. But anxiety remains following the elders' warning. The big question is whether the school will finally heed calls for cleansing rituals-or whether unrest will persist.

Elders blame Mbale Boys' unrest on ignored cleansing rituals

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