Former LSK President Faith Odhiambo has expressed deep sorrow, saying her heart breaks for the affected families of Utumishi Girls Academy following a fire incident at the school dormitory.
Faith Odhiambo described the incident as a devastating loss of young lives who had gone to school in pursuit of a future. She extended condolences to parents, teachers, and the wider school community, noting that words were insufficient to ease the pain.
She also commended emergency responders, including the Kenya Red Cross and Rift Valley regional security teams, for their swift response despite the difficult circumstances.
Odhiambo urged the country to reflect on systemic gaps in school fire preparedness, calling for investment in fire safety infrastructure, emergency response capacity, and disaster preparedness across all counties to prevent similar tragedies.
Gachagua: Accountability and Investigation Needed
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua also expressed grief over the incident, describing it as a painful tragedy that has left scores of young girls dead and others injured.
He extended sympathies to bereaved families and wished quick recovery to the injured students while acknowledging the trauma experienced by survivors and parents.
Gachagua further called for urgent and thorough investigations into the fire, insisting that those found responsible through acts of commission or omission must be held accountable under the law.
He emphasized that disaster preparedness should be integrated into government planning rather than treated as a reactive measure after crises occur. The tragedy has reignited national debate on safety standards in boarding schools.
Both leaders underscored the need for urgent reforms to protect learners, with Odhiambo stressing that schools must be safe spaces as well as centres of learning, while Gachagua called for sustained accountability and preparedness.
