Ichung’wah draws parallels between rising school unrest and recent violent protests
By Emmanuel Rono, June 2, 2026National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has called on leaders and the public to embrace peaceful forms of protest, warning that violent demonstrations could be influencing rising cases of unrest in schools across the country.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Ichung’wah echoed concerns raised by Susan Kihika, who questioned whether students involved in school protests could be copying the destructive behaviour often witnessed during political and public demonstrations.
Ichung’wah noted that some protests in the country have been characterised by arson, destruction of property and attacks on private businesses, creating a dangerous example for young people.
“I heard the Governor for Nakuru over the weekend pose the question, could these young ones be learning from us that whenever we want to protest, we must burn down buildings, we must burn down people’s shops and people’s cars,” Ichung’wah said.
Need for a good example
According to Ichung’wah, students resort to burning schools because they have not been exposed to other ways to air their frustrations.
“Many of the cases are because the students are probably fatigued and want to go home. If you want to go home, you do not need to burn down anything, not a dormitory, classroom or school bus.
“We must lead by example as parents, such that if we want to protest against anything as a country, let us not have fires everywhere because these children could be copying from us or from the country,” Ichung’wah stated.
Ichung’wah appealed to Kenyans to learn from past mistakes and avoid acts of violence during demonstrations, saying peaceful engagement remains the best way to address disputes and disagreements.
“Therefore, I say, careful not to blame anybody, but to plead with the nation that we learn from our past mistakes,” he said.
Recurring cases of dormitory fires
This comes as the debate on the recurring cases of dormitory fires in Kenyan schools continues to expose painful questions about whether enough attention is being given to safety standards before children are admitted into learning institutions.
The recent closure of more than 350 schools following safety inspections after the Endarasha fire tragedy reflects the magnitude of the crisis facing the country’s education sector. Investigations by authorities and human rights agencies revealed that many institutions were operating without fully adhering to the Kenya School Safety Manual, despite clear guidelines meant to protect learners from disasters.