Kenyan police said Friday that eight students have been arrested in connection with a suspected arson attack at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County that killed 16 children and hospitalized 79 others. The fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday, destroying the upper floor of a two‑storey dormitory that housed 135 bunk beds.
Authorities said preliminary investigations identified the students as persons of interest in the planning and execution of the attack. Investigators have interviewed pupils and staff, reviewed CCTV footage, and examined forensic evidence, though the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The school, linked to the National Police Service and attended largely by children of officers, has been left devastated. Families gathered outside the academy awaiting news, while all 16 bodies were recovered and moved to a mortuary for identification.
Kenya has faced repeated tragedies from school fires, many linked to arson. In 2001, a dormitory blaze in Machakos County killed 67 students, and in 2024, a fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County claimed 21 lives. A government report documented 63 arson cases in schools in 2018, underscoring the scale of the problem.
Education officials said Thursday that around 350 schools have been closed since 2024 for failing to meet safety standards. The ministry pledged renewed enforcement of safety audits and accountability measures, though critics argue past promises have not been fully implemented.
The incident has reignited debate over boarding school safety in Kenya, a system rooted in colonial traditions. Advocates are calling for stricter oversight, improved infrastructure, and stronger protections to prevent further tragedies, warning that without urgent reforms, students remain vulnerable to preventable disasters.
