Political analyst Peter Kagwanja has termed the recent Utumishi Girls’ Academy fire tragedy a genocide involving the young generation.

While speaking during an interview on Jadiel Kabiro’s YouTube podcast on Friday, June 6, 2026, the outspoken analyst went on to defend his argument, saying that when one looks at the several incidents involving young people over the past decade that have led to massive loss of life, it clearly points to what he described as a genocide.

“And what is happening in little terms and as we watch is something very akin to the genocide of the younger generation; you may not understand what I mean. You might think that the professor is very exaggerative here, but if you take a keen study of what we have gone through in the last decade,” Kagwanja said.

“The cumulative effect of the assault on our generation from multiple fronts, then you can see why I would be afraid and why I would be worried and concerned as a grandfather and a father. The general said, “This target and my grandchildren are being targeted by something akin to genocide.”

He went on to state that the young generation is experiencing a genocide targeted at them from multiple fronts.

The professor continued by saying that, over the past decade, close to 150 students have lost their lives in school fires and related incidents.

He cited the famous Kyanguli High School tragedy, where 67 boys were burnt to death in a school fire, an incident he believes has largely been forgotten by the country.

Kagwanja also pointed to the Endarasha tragedy, which claimed 21 lives, the Moi Girls Nairobi fire that left 10 students dead, and the recent Utumishi Girls Academy fire, which claimed 16 lives.

He added that the estimated 150 deaths only account for those who perished in school fires and do not include young people who have died from other causes such as muggings, violence, and mob justice.

Silence from the govt.

The professor expressed deep disappointment with what he termed the ‘silence of those in authority’, whom he described as custodians of the lives of Kenyans and individuals who swore to uphold the Constitution and protect citizens.

According to him, they have chosen to remain mum on the issue despite the growing number of tragedies affecting young people.

He also took issue with reports indicating that, according to authorities, an average of 23 children go missing every day without explanation. Kagwanja argued that this is another manifestation of the genocide he is talking about, noting that the figure translates to more than 10,000 missing children between 2025 and 2026.

Protests deaths

The political analyst further cited the protest deaths recorded in 2024 and 2025, where 128 people were reported to have lost their lives according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and Amnesty International. He added that several more people have also died during protests witnessed in 2026.

According to Kagwanja, when all these incidents are looked at collectively, they paint a worrying picture of a generation under siege and one that requires urgent attention from both the government and society at large.