Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has called out decades of unresolved school fires in Kenya following the recent tragic dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil that claimed at least 16 young lives and injured 79 others.

Taking to her Official X account on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Maina amplified growing public frustration over Kenya’s recurring school fire disasters stemming from the nineties.

The legislator has called for an immediate qualitative address by the Ministry of Education.

“We’ve had school fires since 1990’s, unfortunately, none of the cases arising from them have been resolved conclusively until now. Reports, comprehensive ones, are collecting dust somewhere in the MOE. Can @EduMinKenya qualitatively address this!!,” Njeri stated.

Petition against Education PS Bitok

Meanwhile, a lobby group has moved to have Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok removed from office, filing a formal petition over what it terms failures in leadership and governance in the education sector, amid heightened concern over school fires.

The Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has petitioned the Public Service Commission (PSC) seeking disciplinary action targeting the removal of PS Bitok.

In a letter submitted to the PSC on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, COFEK listed six grounds it says justify the initiation of constitutional proceedings to remove the PS from office.

The lobby group accuses Bitok of gross misconduct, incompetence, abuse of office, violation of constitutional provisions relating to public finance management, and conduct unbecoming of a State officer.

“COFEK has today formally petitioned the Public Service Commission (PSC), raising six grounds on which it urges the PSC to initiate the constitutional process for the removal from office of the Principal Secretary, State Department for Basic Education, Amb (Prof) Julius Bitok,” the petition read in part.

“The grounds include gross misconduct, incompetence, abuse of office, violation of constitutional provisions on public finance management, and conduct.”

The petition is anchored on Article 155(4) of the Constitution, which COFEK says provides the legal basis for the removal of Principal Secretaries from office.

The federation insists that accountability applies to all public officers, arguing that the PSC has a duty to act in the public interest.

“A Principal Secretary is not untouchable. Article 155(4) of the Constitution is clear, and the Public Service Commission has both the mandate and the obligation to act,” COFEK said.

The move comes at a time of growing alarm over insecurity and unrest in secondary schools, with several institutions experiencing fire incidents and sudden closures.