Sifuna demands probe into school safety after Utumishi Girls’ Academy fire tragedy
By Aloys Michael, May 30, 2026Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has renewed calls for accountability and urgent reforms in Kenya’s boarding schools following the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Academy that claimed the lives of 16 students.
Speaking on Saturday, May 30, 2026, Sifuna questioned the apparent failures that may have contributed to the tragedy and challenged authorities to explain why basic safety standards were not enforced.
“We are also here in Bungoma during a time of national mourning following the tragedy at Utumishi School,” Sifuna said.
The senator cited disturbing reports indicating that approximately 200 students were accommodated in a dormitory designed to hold only 100 learners, claiming that the dormitory door had been locked during the incident and that the person responsible for the key could not be immediately located.
“Reports indicate that 200 children were crowded into a dormitory meant for 100, the door was locked, and the person with the key disappeared. Where was the Ministry of Education to ensure safety standards were upheld?” he asked.
The tragedy at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, has sparked nationwide concern over safety conditions in public boarding schools, with leaders and education stakeholders calling for thorough investigations and stricter enforcement of regulations.
On Friday, May 29, 2026, Sifuna announced plans to reintroduce a motion in the Senate seeking the establishment of a Select Committee to investigate overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure in public boarding secondary schools.
The move follows a series of student unrest incidents reported in different parts of the country, raising concerns about the state of learning institutions.
According to the senator, the committee would examine whether schools are complying with safety requirements and recommend measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has disclosed that eight students are being held for questioning over the claimed involvement in planning and executing a suspected arson attack that led to the devastating fire.
Investigators are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, which left families and communities across the country grieving.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is also questioning two teachers after reports emerged that some students had warned them about planned unrest before the fire. Authorities are investigating claims that the teachers failed to take adequate preventive measures despite receiving the information.
Possible negligence?
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also linked the deadly blaze to possible negligence by the school administration.
Speaking during the inaugural graduation ceremony of Belgut Technical Training Institute in Kericho County on Friday, May 29, 2026, Murkomen revealed that preliminary investigations had uncovered potential breaches of safety procedures, including locked emergency exits.
“There is a standard safety procedure that the school was to adhere to. One side of the dormitory with an emergency exit door had been locked, and it’s where we lost 10 students,” Murkomen said.
The CS noted that the locked emergency exit may have significantly contributed to the loss of life during the incident. He emphasised that schools are required to maintain accessible escape routes and comply with established safety regulations at all times.
Murkomen added that investigations remain ongoing and assured the public that individuals found responsible would face legal consequences.
He further stated that the Ministry of Education would take administrative action against the school management once the investigations are concluded.
Moreover, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has already initiated disciplinary proceedings against the school principal and several teachers as authorities seek to determine whether institutional failures contributed to the disaster.