In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- Thousands gathered in Nyeri County for a memorial service honoring 21 boys who died in a dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy.
- The cause of the fire is under investigation, with officials calling for a safety audit of schools across Kenya.
Thousands of mourners gathered at Mweiga Stadium in Nyeri County on Thursday for a solemn memorial service honoring 21 boys who lost their lives in a dormitory fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy earlier this month.
The atmosphere was heavy with grief as relatives, many in tears, carried the boys’ white and gold caskets into a large dome-shaped tent erected in the stadium, approximately 170 kilometers (100 miles) north of Nairobi.
The tragedy occurred on September 6, when a fire swept through the dormitory while the boys slept.
Hillside Endarasha Academy, a boarding school, is now at the center of an ongoing investigation to determine the cause of the blaze. Among the victims was an 11-year-old boy, remembered by his parents as “talented and visionary.”
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Speaking through tears, Mwangi, a grieving parent, expressed the deep pain of losing his child. “It has been 20 days of agony, sleepless nights, confusion. We will be burying him at the family home, but he goes with a part of me. I will never be complete without my son,” he said.
Nine of the 21 victims were scheduled to be buried on the same day as the memorial. During the service, Amos, a student from the school, reflected on the magnitude of the loss.
“We have crossed many rivers before, even with strains, but this one is wide, deep, and torrential,” he said in his eulogy.
Kenya has a history of devastating school fires, many of which have been linked to arson and poor safety standards.
So far, more than a dozen fires have occurred this year alone. One of the deadliest incidents took place in 2001, when arsonists set a crowded dormitory ablaze in Machakos County, killing 67 students.
In light of the recent tragedy, education officials have ordered a comprehensive safety audit of all public and private schools.
Education Minister Julius Migos Ogamba, who attended the memorial, emphasized that this heartbreaking loss must serve as a wake-up call.
“The loss of these young lives is not going to be in vain. As a ministry, we have made the decision that this has to be the turning point,” he said.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua echoed similar sentiments, expressing the nation’s grief. “These young souls, innocent young boys, our heart cries for them. When you look at them, they are innocent. They are no more,” he lamented.