Outsiders accused of torching dormitories in Nyanza

Pupils look for the remains of their books at King David Academy in Kisii town's Mwembe area on July after fire of unknown source gutted down the whole school the previous night with nothing salvaged. [PHOTO: DENISH OCHIENG/ STANDARD]

KENYA: Nyanza Education officials have asked schools to comply with safety guidelines.

At least 14 schools in the region have been devastated by fires, some of them blamed on arson.

Cardinal Otunga Mosocho Secondary School in Kisii, St Peter's Nyamesocho Secondary, St Michael Girls Secondary, Roitero, Don Bosco, Nyabisawa Girls Secondary School and St Peters Suneka Mixed Secondary have lost property worth millions of shillings to fires in the past three months.

Others are Nyamira Boys, Nyamaiya mixed, St Andrews Kagwa Boys, Nyansiongo, Nyatieko Secondary, Rigoma Secondary School and St Peter's Nyamesocho Secondary.

The administration of Cardinal Otunga Mosocho believes the school was set ablaze by outsiders.

Three dormitories were burnt down, forcing the principal, Zachary Nyariki, to indefinitely close the school, barely two days after the students reported to school after the April holidays.

Two dormitories were set aflame as the principal was addressing students at around 5pm at the assembly.

The third dormitory was razed down the following day.

Fire outbreaks in schools in Migori County have been

frequent. The recent one was at Kanga High School where property worth millions of shillings was destroyed.

Francis Otieno, the deputy principal, told The Standard that the recent fire incident did not cause injury to any student because they were all in class at the time the fire broke out. There are at least three exits in every dormitory.

"We lost property worth millions. The fire was caused by an electric fault that occurred in one part of the dormitory. The students responded fast by pouring water on the blazing dormitory. We are well-equipped when it comes to structural designs of the dormitories," said Mr Otieno.

The grills on the windows, according to him, are meant to prevent theft.

Nyabisawa Girls secondary School also experienced fire outbreaks twice in less than six months, which were blamed on an electricity fault.

Nyabisawa has at least two exits in every dormitory.

According to school principal Charles Ombago, the fire was lit by outsiders. There were no casualties.

The school dormitory has two well-designed exits that can allow students to leave easily in case of a fire.

The Nyarongi fire incident occured shortly after 40 students from the neighbouring St Alberts Ulanda Girls were admitted to hospital after a stampede.

The students panicked when they saw sparks emanating from power lines and in the process of scrambled to leave the classes. Some 40 of them were injured.

Other schools that have been affected by fire include St Monica Bondo Kosiemo in Nyatike, where property was destroyed but no one was hurt.

In Nyamira, a dormitory at Rigoma Secondary School was gutted by a fierce fire whose cause is yet to be established.

Similar incidents were reported at Nyamira Boys, Nyamaiya mixed, St Andrews Kagwa Boys Nyansiongo and Nyatieko Secondary.

Only Nyansiongo and Nyamaiya fires are suspected to have been caused by arson. Others were blamed on electric faults. Thirteen boys were arrested at Nyansiongo following the fire.

Nyamira County Director of Education Siloma Kinayia says all schools in the area have complied with required safety standards and regulations.

In Kisumu County, most schools have not fully complied with the Ministry of Education's requirements on disaster preparedness.

But a spot check by The Standard revealed that while changes have been made in the dormitories, classes and other halls have metal grills.

At Kisumu Girls High School, dormitory windows have no metal grills, but in the classes and laboratories have grills.

The same goes for Kisumu Boys' High School, Lions, Otieno Oyoo and Maseno.