Education of 800 pupils hangs in the balance at Mukuru Kwa Reuben slum
By Sammy Kimatu and Fridah Okachi
The education of more than 800 pupils of Gatoto Primary School at Mukuru Kwa Reuben slum, Nairobi, hangs in the balance due to an ongoing leadership and ownership crisis.
The school, which has served the local community for over 30 years, is now at the centre of a protracted dispute involving parents, school management and the Ministry of Education.
The conflict began when the ministry appointed a new head-teacher without consulting the school's current management, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among stakeholders.
On Monday, chaos erupted as irate parents and local residents stormed the school premises, halting learning activities.
Pupils were seen wandering outside classrooms, some visibly confused, while others remained inside, unsure of what was happening.
Demonstrations ensued, with locals accusing the Ministry of Education of attempting to take control of the school without involving the community.
Ms Esther Mumbi, a parent with two children enrolled at Gatoto, expressed her frustration, saying she learned last year that the school would be placed under new management.
“We will not accept this. This school has been a pillar of hope for our children. How can they make such decisions without involving us?” she lamented.
Mr Victor Ochula, a university student and alumnus of the school, joined the protests, accusing government officials of targeting the school under false claims of corruption.
“I grew up here, studied here, and received support to join high school. Now, I’m in my third year at university. Let those alleging corruption produce evidence,” he said.
Robinson Kombo, the former chair of the school board who served for 21 years, revealed that management issues began in 2021 after the death of the school’s founder, Betty Nyagoha.
He accused the current leadership under chairperson Gideon Ndambuki, of financial impropriety and sidelining stakeholders.
“Transparency has been lost. He claims the school spends Sh7 million annually on food for the pupils, but we see no accountability for this money provided by donors,” Kombo asserted.
Kombo and other stakeholders believe the solution lies in placing the school under government management to ensure transparency and equitable distribution of resources.
“Many professionals in this community, including doctors, teachers, and lawyers, are products of this school. It’s heartbreaking to see it deteriorate,” he added.
Local leaders have also weighed in, urging the government to take over the school. Urbanus Musau, a representative from the local MP’s office, supported the move, stating that government management would ensure stable funding and transparency.
“This school needs to be under the government. Only then can the students benefit fully, especially with the introduction of Grade Nine under the new curriculum,” he said.
Scolastica Muthoni, a local administrator, accused the current management of misappropriating donations meant for the pupils.
“I’ve received reports of supplies being diverted to personal homes. This cannot continue,” she stated.
As tensions reached a boiling point, police officers led by Makadara Police Commander Judith Nyongesa were deployed to restore calm.
Responding to the allegations, Ndambuki dismissed the claims as baseless. He argued that the school's finances are audited and transparently reported on the Gatoto Integrated Development Programme’s (GIDP) website.
“All financial reports and donor contributions are publicly available. Claims of mismanagement are unfounded,” he said.
Ndambuki also blamed Kombo for spreading misinformation to incite unrest among parents.
“These rumours began in September 2024, claiming that the school would be handed over to the government. This narrative has caused unnecessary panic,” he explained.
The dispute escalated further when the Ministry of Education intervened, prompting accusations that the new leadership sought personal gain rather than the welfare of the pupils.
Scared away sponsors
The ongoing conflict has disrupted the school’s operations, forcing donors to temporarily withdraw their support.
Julius Kobean Majura, a GIDP board member, revealed that payments for the school’s 44 teachers had been suspended due to donor uncertainty.
“The conflict has scared away sponsors, and we’re unable to pay salaries until the issue is resolved,” he said.
This development follows a lawsuit filed at the Nairobi High Court accusing Kombo of spreading false information and threatening staff. The case seeks to clarify the school’s ownership and management structure.
“The school is a pure non profitable community based APBET (Alternative Provision of Basic Education and Training) Primary school, within the meaning of The Basic Act 2023, with a different donor within the country and out of country who funds its operation 100 per cent. The 5th respondent (Robinson Kombo) was the previous chair, election was conducted and another chair took over September 2021and has since occupied and discharged the mandate pertaining to the office peacefully,” stated in the court petitioned by GIDP.
“The new chair and Board management were formally introduced and recognized by the Sub- County Education Officer, Assistant County Commission and the Local Chief.”
They claimed that Mr Ogechi had re-registered the school by obtaining a new registration certificate from the Ministry of Education and was using the provincial administration to interfere with the current board of management.
High Court judge Bahati Mwamuye directed the board of management to serve the assistant county commissioner and other respondents with the court documents ahead of the hearing on February 10.
