Kisumu City management has denied authorising the demolition of a public Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre in Market-Milimani Ward.
This comes as investigations begin into the destruction that left 24 learners without their usual learning environment.
The Joel Omimo Door Stand-Alone ECD Centre was demolished at around 2 am on Saturday, with school furniture and other property damaged in the incident.
Kisumu City Manager Fred Mariwa said his office had neither authorised the demolition nor issued a demolition certificate, questioning how county property could be destroyed without the city's knowledge.
“One cannot simply wake up one day and demolish a structure that belongs to the public. This was, and remains, county property,” Mariwa said.
He said the city management was investigating the incident and warned that action would be taken against those found responsible.
The demolition is suspected to be linked to attempts by business interests to clear the land for commercial containers, although those behind the incident had not been identified by the time of publication.
Mariwa said his office was unaware of any request for the demolition and questioned why it had been carried out in the middle of the night.
The incident has disrupted learning at the centre, which had 24 children, comprising 14 boys and 10 girls.
Centre manager Felister Wanjiru said she received a phone call at around 5 am informing her that the school had been demolished.
“I was called at around 5 am and informed that our school had been demolished. When I arrived, I found church members trying to remove their property,” she said.
Wanjiru said some chairs, tables and cupboards had been damaged, forcing the centre to salvage the remaining property and move it to another school for safety.
She said they did not know who had carried out the demolition, adding that she was informed it happened at around 2 am.
Florence Ojwang, the Kisumu Central Sub-County Education Coordinator, said the affected learners would have to be placed in alternative centres as the relevant departments considered the way forward.
“We cannot bring them back to such a place,” she said.
County Chief Officer for Education Bovince Ochieng said the county had reported the matter to the relevant authorities and would involve the county attorney to help establish who was behind the demolition.
Ochieng described the destruction of the ECD centre and a church on government property as unfortunate, saying the county would take action against those found responsible.
He said the immediate priority was to ensure that the affected learners had a safe place to continue their education without further disruption.
County Executive Committee Member for Education John Awiti said the incident had left the department and the county government concerned, particularly because young children were involved.
Awiti said it was claimed that a court order existed but insisted that any enforcement should have followed proper procedures and taken into account the children's welfare.
“If there was a court order, these things should have been done procedurally and professionally, considering that young children are involved and have been traumatised,” he said.
He said the county would consult parents on the way forward, noting that the children could not be expected to resume learning in the damaged premises.
Awiti also criticised the resort to force in resolving disputes, saying the matter would be examined legally and discussed at the county Cabinet level to determine the next steps.
“We will look at it legally and do what is necessary on behalf of our young children,” he said.
The county government said investigations were underway to identify those responsible, while security had been heightened at the site to prevent further intrusion.
The circumstances surrounding the demolition, including who ordered or carried it out and whether a court order existed, remained unclear.
