Students behind Utumishi Academy inferno explain why they burnt the dormitory
Students behind Utumishi Academy inferno explain why they burnt the dormitory
Suspects in the Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire have revealed the motives behind the arson attack that killed 16 students and injured several others.
At least seven students currently in police custody have been questioned by investigators, with their statements shedding new light on the circumstances that preceded the tragedy.
Reports indicate that a decision by the school administration to move examination dates forward from June 16 to June 2 may have triggered discontent among some Form Four students.
Preliminary findings further suggest that tensions between senior students and the administration stemmed from disagreements surrounding contributions towards a cultural event.
The learners were reportedly aggrieved and protested a directive requiring them to shoulder the costs of a cultural event previously funded by the school.
As a secondary motive, the suspects also admitted to being determined to torch their dormitory to join the growing trend of strikes that have taken place over the last two weeks.
In the course of investigations, detectives have also established that the arson attack was fast-tracked, with initial plans allegedly made at around 9 p.m., approximately three hours before the fire broke out at around midnight.
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Investigators are now probing the possible involvement of outsiders and how the students allegedly accessed kerosene used in the arson attack.
The seven suspects who were captured in the CCTV footage released by the school also stated that their intention was not to cause harm to anyone, but to burn down the dormitory as a way to express their anger.
The Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has since directed all schools to install CCTV cameras in key areas across their premises to monitor student activity and prevent future fire incidents.
Education CS Julius Ogamba separately ordered a fresh round of inspections across all boarding schools nationwide, to be completed within 10 days, with strict action to follow against any school found endangering students.
The inspections will largely focus on dormitories, following Interior Ministry preliminary reports flagging that most school fires in the country have historically targeted sleeping quarters in boarding institutions.
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