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Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera has slammed the Education Ministry following students’ deaths at Mukumu Girls’ and subsequent health crisis at schools across the country.

Speaking during an interview on K24 TV on Tuesday morning April 18, 2023, the Lugari MP claimed that many schools have not conducted a health inspection at their facilities for the last five years.

“By the way I need to say this 99.9 per cent of the schools have no health inspection report in the last five years,” he said.

Nabwera lauded Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa for ordering the health inspection of schools in his county.

He however expressed fears that the health inspection report might not see the light of day because of the revelations that it will make.

“The governor of Kakamega has ordered that all schools be inspected. You will see the report. Because of the revelations, it might even see the light of day,” the Lugari MP said.

“I thank him for that decision, it’s a bold decision. I know his colleagues are fidgeting because this thing is basically going to say that we abandoned the child health-wise,” he added.

The Lugari MP further questioned where the capitation money held by the Ministry of Education as health insurance for learners goes.

“There is another question we need to ask. In this capitation money, a lot of money and Sossion will confirm this, remains at Ministry that it is health insurance for the children. Looking at the situation in Mukumu and how those children have died in very poor facilities, where does that money go? Who is it enriching? Those are questions we need to be asking. The medical insurance money how is it helping schools?” The MP posed.

Health crisis at schools

The health crisis at school has seen a number of educational facilities close down, with some having been hit by a cholera outbreak.

Mukumu Girls was hit by E. coli and salmonellosis—two diseases that can easily be prevented through good hygiene.

The diseases also led to the hospitalisation of over 600 secondary students from Mukumu Girls and Butere Boys, both in Kakamega County.

Three students and a teacher died at Mukumu Girls’ died. Kakamega governor last Friday ordered the destruction of cereals at the Mukumu Girls’ school as the health crisis at the institution deepened.

Mukumu Girls’ Board of Management has been disbanded and a new board has been constituted which began its mandate on Monday.

The Ministry of Education also deployed a new principal to the institution, Sister Jane Mmbone Amukoya as the former immediate principal Fridah Ndolo was re-assigned duties to the Regional Teachers Service Commissioner’s office in Kakamega.

Education Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, described the incident where three students and a teacher died, as unfortunate absolving blame from both the Principal and the BOM noting that no one will be charged and no investigation will be undertaken against any.

“We don’t want to apportion blame. So, there is no investigation of any nature that is following the former administration, the Principal or the BOM. What happened is unfortunate,” he maintained.