As the burials of 21 children who died in a school fire in Nyeri began, questions are being asked about the silence over investigations into the tragedy.
Nine victims of the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire tragedy were buried on Thursday while the other 12 will be buried on diverse dates. Two boys are still hospitalised with injuries from the incident.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua led the bereaved families and mourners in an emotional mass funeral ceremony at Mweiga Stadium in Kieni Constituency, Nyeri County.
Curiously, the speakers at the service did not demand justice for the 21 victims of the tragedy.
Parents and relatives stand next to the caskets of the 21 children who died in the dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy during the burial service at Mweiga Stadium, Nyeri County on September 26, 2024.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group
As the dust settles on their little graves, an uneasy silence hangs over what really happened on the night of September 5 2024. No one has, so far, been arrested or held responsible for the deaths of the 21 boys who were burnt in the dormitory fire and questions now linger over justice for the deceased.
On the fateful night, there were 164 boys in the dormitory which has since been demolished. Investigations by the Nation indicated that the facility may have been congested at the time.
Some survivors said that they struggled to escape from the raging fire as there were only seven windows and two doors, the third one having been locked from outside.
“It’s like the Ministry of Education wants the country to forget that 21 children in a fire in a school dormitory. Somebody must be called to account. How long shall we talk about a safety manual that’s not being implemented?” asked Omboko Milemba, the chair of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet).
Among the questions asked include the last inspection (if any) by the Ministry of Education before the tragedy and if the school had been inspected by the county government for compliance with fire safety regulations.
There were also questions about compliance with the building materials after it emerged that part of the dormitory walls were made of wood. The government recommends that such should be made of permanent materials.
The caskets bearing the remains of the 21 children who died in the dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy during the burial service at Mweiga Stadium, Nyeri County on September 26, 2024.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group
Following the tragedy, President William Ruto promised a thorough investigation into the incident but 20 days later, there is little or no information on the progress of the probe.
“I instruct relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this horrific incident. Those responsible will be held to account,” the President said.
The Homicide Section of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is leading the investigations and only handed the school back to the management last week. The local police have maintained that the investigation is being handled from the DCI headquarters and therefore cannot comment on it.
The Nation tried unsuccessfully to get a response from the director of the DCI Mohamed Amin. His phone was switched off and he had not replied to our text message by the time of going to press.
“The investigating team is working round the clock, recording statements from persons of interest, making significant progress in this inquiry,” reads the last update on the tragedy from the DCI dated September 11 2024.
“We’re keen to establish the cause of this tragedy that cost these young lives. The DCI is leading in this process. As a ministry, we’re also carrying out an audit to establish if there was any omission on the part of our officers. We’ll hold to account anybody found culpable for this incident. We're also commissioned a nationwide audit of all public and boarding schools to determine the level of compliance with the Schools Safety Manual,” said Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
The Hillside Endarasha Academy tragedy is one of the worst in Kenya’s history. However, unlike in other incidences which were followed by prosecutions, jail sentences and court fines.
The director of Hillside Endarasha Academy, David Kinyua, during the requiem service for the 21 children who died in a dormitory fire at the school.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group
For example, following the 2001 dormitory fire incident at Kyanguli Secondary School in Machakos County where 67 boys died, the former principal David Kiilu Mutiso and his deputy Stephen Kasyoka were each sentenced to eight months in prison for failing to prevent a felony.
In 2022, a student was found guilty of causing a fire in a dormitory at Moi Girls School Nairobi in 2015 where 10 learners died in the inferno. She was sentenced to five years in jail.
However, the case of Hillside appears different. During the funeral service, Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga who has been co-chair of a disaster management committee acknowledged questions people have been asking regarding the incident.
“The committee has decided that after the burials, we’ll make sure that all the 143 learners get assistance so that they go back to school. They lost everything in the fire. The committee will provide them with a dignity kit,” he said.
He praised the director of the school David Kinyua who attended the funeral service for the good performance the school has been posting in national examinations. Mr Kahiga added that although a private institution, the school serves the local community.
“When some Gen Z youth from Nairobi came to cause trouble there, they were beaten up and removed by parents because the parents love the school. They even don’t take their children to neighbouring public schools where education is free,” he said.
The governor pleaded with Mr Gachagua to request President Ruto to assist the director of the school in rebuilding it.
Parents and relatives stand next to the caskets of the 21 children who died in the dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy during the burial service at Mweiga Stadium, Nyeri County on September 26, 2024.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group
“Our immediate agenda is to make sure the Grade 6 learners undertake their Kenya Primary School Education Assessment,” said the governor.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo who served as the minister for Education in 2001 when the Kyanguli tragedy requested Mr Kinyua to rename the institution, Hillside Endarasha Memorial School.
“Let’s forever remember these children,” Mr Musyoka said.
