Tragic Farewell: The Grief and Anger Surrounding Kenyan School Fires

Mourners laid to rest 21 children who died in a boarding school fire in central Kenya. The tragedy highlights a history of school fires in the country, often caused by protesting students. Families expressed frustration over the government's failure to improve school conditions.

On Thursday, grieving relatives and former classmates paid a solemn farewell to 21 children who perished in a boarding school fire in central Kenya, laying nine of them to rest in small white coffins. The victims, aged between nine and 13, were from Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri town.

Trapped in their dormitory as the blaze spread on September 6, these young lives were part of a troubling pattern. Kenya has a disheartening record of school fires, with over 60 cases reported in public secondary schools in 2018, according to the latest government data.

Thousands attended a memorial ceremony where the photos of the young victims adorned their coffins amid floral tributes. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua expressed the collective grief, saying, 'These young souls, innocent. Young boys. Our heart cries for them.'

While the cause of the latest fire is still unknown, researchers suggest many such incidents are sparked by students protesting harsh school conditions. In a notable 2017 case, ten girls died in a Nairobi school fire, with a teenage student later charged with manslaughter for arson.

Maryanne Mwangi, whose 14-year-old daughter Virlear died in the 2017 fire, voiced her outrage over the government's inaction. 'I didn't want to look at social media because I'm telling myself, it can't be happening again,' she said, reflecting on the tragic reoccurrence. She highlighted that Kenyan boarding schools often enforce overly strict rules, leading to student frustrations and, ultimately, tragic acts of rebellion.

'Our schools are a school of rules. It's actually like a military camp,' Mwangi concluded.

(With inputs from agencies.)