Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika has broken her silence following the emergence of disturbing CCTV footage linked to the deadly fire tragedy at Utumishi Girls Academy that claimed the lives of 16 students.

In an emotional statement released on the night of Sunday, May 31, 2026, moments after one of the local TV stations aired exclusive surveillance footage capturing the moments before the inferno, Kihika described the video as “one of the toughest videos to watch”.

“This has to be one of the toughest videos to watch. The last few days have been tough, but to actually see these girls set the dormitory on fire while their classmates, friends slept and actually lighting the fire by the exit doors, making sure they wouldn’t make it out is the most horrific thing I have ever seen,” Kihika said.

The governor said the tragedy had exposed what she termed a deeper crisis among young people, calling for urgent national reflection and intervention.

“We must have a tough conversation in this country; we have a big problem. My heart goes out to the families of the 16 girls who lost their lives,” she added.

Utumishi Girls Academy CCTV footage

The shocking footage is now central to investigations being conducted by homicide detectives and officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Investigators say forensic analysis of the CCTV recordings placed seven suspects, all students, at the scene of the crime on the night of May 28, 2026.

The footage shows five students entering the ill-fated dormitory shortly after midnight, approximately ten minutes past 12 a.m.

The students were allegedly seen moving cautiously through different sections of the dormitory, appearing to confirm that their fellow students were asleep.

The footage captured the students checking Cube 11 before proceeding to Cube 13, where they are said to have started the fire using kerosene.

Seconds later, the students were seen rushing out of the dormitory as flames and smoke quickly spread through the building.

Some students woke up immediately after the fire started and tried to alert their dormmates, but the blaze spread rapidly, trapping many learners inside.

Authorities have since claimed that the suspects deliberately started the fire near the exit doors, severely limiting escape routes for students inside the dormitory.

Seven students in custody

The seven students identified as persons of interest are currently in police custody as investigations continue.

The Ministry of Education earlier confirmed that preliminary findings indicated arson and disclosed that several learners were being questioned in connection with the incident.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba also revealed that the school was overcrowded at the time of the tragedy, with 715 students having been admitted in 2026 at a school approved for 650 learners.

The government has since dissolved the school’s Board of Management and initiated disciplinary action against the school principal and teachers accused of ignoring prior warnings about possible unrest among students.

The tragedy has triggered widespread grief and outrage across the country, with leaders, parents, education stakeholders, and religious groups demanding tougher safety measures in boarding schools.

Several leaders have also called for enhanced mental health support for students and stricter monitoring of unrest warning signs within schools.

The 16 victims who died in the fire are currently undergoing DNA identification at Naivasha Sub-County Hospital Mortuary as families continue mourning one of the country’s deadliest school fire tragedies in recent years.