Sombre farewell for 15 girls who perished in dormitory blaze

Grieving family members of the 15 schoolgirls who lost their lives in the Utumishi Girls Academy fire break down in tears during a joint memorial service at Gilgil Stadium in Nakuru County. Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their final respects and stand in solidarity with the bereaved families as they honored the memory of the departed students. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

A heavy cloud of grief hung over Gilgil Stadium in Nakuru County yesterday as tears flowed freely while hundreds of mourners gathered for a memorial service for 15 girls killed two weeks ago in a dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Senior School.

Grief-stricken families were inconsolable as prayers and hymns filled the sombre air in a ceremony marked by raw emotion and collective mourning.

A total of 16 girls died in a dormitory fire on May 29, allegedly started by fellow students in the early hours of the morning.

Nine students suspected of involvement in the arson attack have since been arrested and arraigned in court.

One of the victims was buried last Sunday in Kwale County after her body was released to the family.

The devastating fire sent shockwaves across the country, renewing calls for stricter enforcement of fire safety measures in learning institutions to prevent similar tragedies.

Yesterday, during the memorial service attended by First Lady Rachel Ruto, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika and other leaders, renewed calls were made for improved safety in boarding schools and good parenting.

First Lady Rachel Ruto expressed her grief, calling on the nation to unite in protecting the welfare of learners.

“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters in this tragic fire. It is a painful national tragedy that has shattered lives full of promise. As a nation, we must commit to making the safety of our children a priority,” she said.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba warned that the ministry would adopt a zero-tolerance approach, stating that there was no justification for such heinous acts in schools and promising that all those involved would face the full force of the law.

Clergy members lead prayers beside the caskets of the 15 Utumishi Girls Academy students who lost their lives in a tragic school fire during a joint memorial service at Gilgil Stadium in Nakuru County. Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their final respects and stand in solidarity with the bereaved families. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

To address the broader crisis of instability in schools, he announced the formation of a multi-sectoral committee tasked with collecting views on school unrest nationwide.

The day began in sorrow as a convoy of 15 hearses streamed through the gates of Gilgil Stadium, moving in a slow, agonising procession.  Each carried a white casket bearing a framed portrait of a young girl, their images frozen in innocence. When the vehicles came to a halt, the atmosphere grew even heavier, and the stadium erupted into raw, unrestrained grief.

Piercing screams and anguished wails from families, relatives and surviving schoolmates of the girls who perished in the dormitory inferno filled the emotional requiem service.

The tragedy has once again drawn attention to safety standards in schools.

Edward Mbugua, founder of Utumishi Girls and former Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service, pointed to systemic weaknesses in the education sector, calling for a national conversation on whether the boarding school model remains sustainable under the pressure of mass enrolments.

Mbugua also linked infrastructure strain to the rapid expansion of public education policies. “Nobody challenged the government to allow time for enough classrooms and dormitories to be built,” he added, noting that student populations have outpaced infrastructure capacity. He urged investment in local day schools to ease pressure on boarding institutions.

Bereaved parents also called for sobriety in schools. “It is time for us to have a new beginning as far as the new policies that are in the education sector are concerned, we need to rise, we need to sober up and see the best way how we can bring sobriety in our schools,” Grace Waceke, one of the bereaved parents, said.

She urged accountability from the government to prevent similar tragedies, stressing the need for stronger safeguards for learners. “We trust that the government will help us seek justice, provide resources for healing and ensure that every measure is taken to protect students in schools,” she said.

She also called for good parenting, urging parents to be close to their children who at times get swayed into activities that can harm others. 

“Let us create time for our children. Let us not focus on looking for money and forget that we have the sole responsibility of raising accountable children. Some of these children end up seeking attention in the wrong ways that harm others,” Waceke said.

Utumishi Girls ‘ School captain, Abigail Wanjiku mourned the 16 girls. “We have lost our sisters, our classmates, and our friends. They were girls full of big dreams, laughter, and plans for the future. To look at the empty spaces they have left behind in our classrooms and dormitories is a pain we cannot fully describe.  We ask the government and our teachers to hear us, please make our schools safe so that we can study without fear,” she said.