Members of the Red Cross carry casket of one of th children who lost their live during a requiem mass at Bukhungu Stadium
A dark cloud of sorrow and grief hanged above in the skies of Kakamega county as county officials, KNUT officials, teachers and parents who lost their children in the Kakamega Primary school stampede tragedy gathered for a requiem mass for the pupils who lost their lives.
The function was presided over by the county boss Wycliffe Oparanya. Among those who attended are the various politicians and leaders from the western region. Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Masika Wetang’ula and Boni Khalwale were among the notable names who were in attendance.
Each leader was given a chance to say a word of condolence to the school and parents who lost their children. Nearly all of them raised concerns about the safety of children in schools, not only in Kakamega Primary but the whole country at large because last year several cases were reported where children lost their lives in schools. An example was the Precious Talent School where a building collapsed and killed children.
They urged the government and ministry of education to look into the issue urgently and provide the necessary precautions to ensure safety of children at school. The KNUT Secretary General threatened to paralyse learning in all schools across the country if another tragedy happens again.
Aside from safety, Boni Khalwale had a bone to pick with a Church in Kakamega which has been rumoured to sacrifice the lives of young children in the county. Speaking at the function, Khalwale said Winners Chapel is responsible for the previous cases of children death and disappearance in the county and said action must be taken.
This was met by mixed reactions but Boni remained firm on his stance about the Church. It however remains to be seen if the cases of children death in schools in Kakamega and across the country at large will be dealt with.