Former Cabinet Minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa has called for immediate psychological support for parents affected by the Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire in Gilgil, Nakuru County, which left 16 students dead and several others injured.

Speaking during an interview on May 28, 2026, Kirwa expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said the incident had caused deep emotional distress among parents and guardians.

“It is very traumatising for many parents of Utumishi Girls. We hope all the parents affected by the tragedy will receive some form of psychological therapy to help them come to terms with what has taken place,” he said.

Fire incident and emergency response

The fire broke out around 1 a.m. at the school dormitory, prompting a large-scale emergency response involving police officers, the Kenya Red Cross, fire brigades from Naivasha, the Kenya Defence Forces, and other agencies.

Authorities confirmed that 132 students were affected by the incident. Seventy-four were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity, while several others have since been discharged. The school has since been closed indefinitely, with students released to their parents as investigations continue.

Government pathologist Titus Ngulungu confirmed that 16 bodies were recovered from the scene and transferred to Naivasha Mortuary for postmortem examinations and DNA analysis due to difficulties in visual identification.

Investigation and government response

Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja described the incident as a national tragedy and confirmed that investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba visited the scene and directed forensic teams to begin detailed assessments.

Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura cautioned against the spread of unverified information and graphic content on social media, warning that such material could worsen the trauma experienced by affected families.

Calls for school safety and preparedness

Kirwa also urged authorities to strengthen safety inspections in boarding schools, including regular checks on fire safety systems, emergency exits, and overall infrastructure compliance.

He said past incidents had exposed gaps in school preparedness and called for sustained vigilance by education and disaster management agencies.

The tragedy has reignited national debate on boarding school safety standards, with stakeholders calling for improved emergency response systems and stronger enforcement of safety regulations in learning institutions.