Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has joined the nation in mourning families who lost their loved ones following the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil.
On Thursday morning, 16 students were confirmed dead following a dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy; 79 students were injured, with seven admitted to the hospital for further treatment.
In a statement, Uhuru expressed deep sorrow over the incident, extending condolences to parents, guardians, students, teachers, and the wider school community affected by the tragedy.
“I join the nation in mourning with the families who have lost their loved ones in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil. My heart goes out to the parents, guardians, students, teachers, and the entire school community during this painful time,” Uhuru said.
The former President said he was praying for comfort and strength for bereaved families as they come to terms with the loss.
Uhuru prayed for peace for those who died, recovery for the injured, and resilience for all those affected by the incident.
“I pray for God’s comfort and strength for every family bearing this heavy loss. May God grant eternal peace to those we have lost, comfort to those mourning, a swift recovery to the injured, and courage to all affected in the days ahead,” he added.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning, has left the country in mourning as investigations and rescue operations continue.
Parents streamed to the school gates in large numbers as news of the tragedy spread across Gilgil and neighbouring areas, with police restricting access and allowing only parents into the compound as rescue and investigative operations continued.
The injured students were taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Gilgil for assessment and treatment.
Education CS Julius Ogamba announced that parents can use the hotline number 1199 to report missing students and receive counselling services as authorities continue to account for all learners affected by the incident.
“At the time of the fire, responses were received from the security agencies. Investigations are ongoing, and there is a hotline number 1199 to which we shall be asking the parents to report, especially those who might have left with their kids when they came earlier. That hotline number will also be available for counselling. We shall release the learners who are here with their parents in the course of the day,” he said.
Ogamba urged the public to avoid speculation on the cause of the fire, noting that investigations are underway to establish what happened and whether safety procedures were followed.
“Let’s not be speculative at this stage. We have a safety school manual that all schools adhere to. Let’s wait and see if the manual was adhered to after the investigation,” he added.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen also expressed condolences to the bereaved families, urging patience as authorities continue with victim identification and investigations.
“I pass my condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones. We know that this is a very anxious moment, even as we account for the 16 so far identified as having passed on. I ask Kenyans to stand together; we stand with you in prayer and support. I ask you to be patient and avoid speculation as to the cause of the tragedy,” Murkomen said.
