A Requiem Mass for the 15 girls who lost their lives in the tragic Utumishi Academy dormitory fire that took place last year is taking place at the Gilgil Stadium on Friday, June 12, 2026, as members of the public, parents, and families of the deceased gather to pay homage to the young lives lost.

Amongst the leaders in attendance at the emotional memorial service is First Lady Rachel Ruto. The Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Migos Ogamba; Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika; Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna; and other local and national leaders have also graced the occasion as they attended with families to mourn the victims.

The solemn meeting follows the devastating blaze that killed 16 students a few days ago, leaving the nation in a state of shock and raising questions about school safety.

The atmosphere at the stadium has been sombre, with families and friends struggling to come to terms with the tragedy that cut short the lives of the young learners.

Before the memorial service, Friday morning, 15 hearses were lined up at Naivasha Funeral Home ahead of their transport to Gilgil Stadium with the bodies of the victims. After the mass, the corpses will be turned over to their families for the burial.

The body of one of the victims had been handed over to the family ahead of the joint burial service in Kwale County, where she was buried as the first of the 16 girls, making her the first to be buried.

The Utumishi Academy fire that happened on Friday, May 28, 2026, is one of the deadliest school tragedies in recent years, and the loss of the 16 girls has left the nation in mourning with renewed calls for improved safety of students in boarding schools.