On Monday, February 3, a stampede at Kakamega Primary School led to the death of over 14 pupils, with reports alleging that the tragedy was caused after the children spotted a teacher headed towards their direction with a cane. Their memorial service was conducted at Bukhungu Stadium, Kakamega on Friday, February 7.
As Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya led local leaders and families in celebrating the lives of the 14 angels who perished in the tragedy, former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalalwe and KNUT secretary general Wilson Sossion were applauded by their crowd for their hard-hitting speeches.
The organiser's efforts to cut short Khalwle and Sossion were futile.
In this live blog, Kenyans.co.ke kept you updated on how the event transpired.
12:45 pm: Moses Wetangula calls for changes to be made in the investigation that is underway at Kakamega Primary School.
"The way you (Education Ministry) renew licenses of business people, licences for compliance on schools should be renewed every year
In circumstances such as this under the law, it is not open under the police to investigate, the DPP should open a case under a judge of a higher ranking to investigate if an individual is accountable for the death of these students
Someone should be charged for manslaughter. We have seen teachers lead pupils out pf class to buses and not leaving pupils rush. We stand here saddened and as we mourn today, let this be the last time, it must come to an end," Wetangula stated.
12:36 pm: Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale speaks and urges the number of teachers to be increased in the school. Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala allegedly tried to interrupt his speech. [VIDEO-Below]
"70 teachers cannot be in charge of over 3000 students. The building where the accident happened is functionally defective. The engineer should be fired.
Kakamega Primary School is not a headquarter for church services on Sundays. You'll find many churches in different classes in the school. Where are there headquarters?
There is a church that was found killing our students twice in Kakamega. That is Winners Chapel Kakamega. Do not challenge me when I talk about the integrity of our churches. My fellow Luhya's people have played with us for long. They tell us that if we have a funeral at our homes and we light fires, we are told that yours will not continue because your neighbour has a bigger funeral. Us we have a funeral for over 14 pupils, no one will dispute us.
I am saddened that they are playing with us and have even demolished our kiosks and no one has even raised a finger. That is our economy, and when they destroy our shops and I organise meetings in Mumias, they bring the police to beat us up. This is part of the BBI. We should not change our constitution for people to elongate their leadership. Oparanya should go home and let leaders like us take over," Khalwale concluded amid cheers and applause from the crowd.
12:30 pm: ODM secretary general Edwin Sifuna condoles with the bereaved families via Twitter.
"This loss is unfathomable. As Kenyan and as a father, I cannot even begin to understand the enormity of the sense of loss these families must be feeling. I can only pray that God's will is revealed even in this tragedy. My deepest condolences to all of you," Sifuna tweeted.
12:15 pm: KNUT secretary-general Wilson Sossion reads a statement on behalf of his organisation, causes drama at the event by lashing out at CS Magoha, PS Kipsang and Governor Oparanya. Attempts to cut him off were thwarted by the crowd who supported and cheered him on. [VIDEO attached below]
"I will state the truth here and may God help me. KNUT is the largest union in East and Central Africa and for those who wanted to disrupt our activities, may they be defeated in Jesus name. I want to read a verse in Matthew which states that whosoever does harm to these children, may a stone be hung on their necks. Someone is responsible for the deaths of these pupils.
"Let me speak on the cause of these deaths. I have seen what the doctors have written and I am happy Boni Khalwale is here with us, a very good friend of mine. The doctors stated that they died out of suffocation and one has a fracture. But why did these students die in a stampede?
The enrolment of these pupils is the largest we have seen, 3,000 and in Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) we have 3500. The pupils died out of negligence. We have heard rumours of the other cause (ghosts), that one we leave to the pastors. However, our schools should not be a pathway for all worshippers. We should have one recognised church leading prayers for our pupils.
On the negligence, we should have an inspection committee in charge of the quality assurance and should be under the ministry. Mr Oparanya, do we have one here, no we don't. The ministry under CS Magoha has not organised for one.
No one can cut me off when I am speaking. Sossion is not to be cut off. I will continue. We need a report for also the students who died in Precious Talent tragedy, we have not seen one.
If we hear such a scenario ever again, we shall halt all education services in Kenya immediately. Another issue is that no one should conduct business with our pupils. New buildings should be inspected," Sossion stated.
12:10 pm: KUPPET chairperson Akello Misori states that the organisation had contributed Ksh 500,000 towards the affected families.
"We don't have safety measures in our schools despite increasing the number of pupils in school. I urge CS Magoha to call for a meeting to discuss this critical issue,"
12:05 PM: MP Ayub Savula (Lugari) urges for safety measures to be implemented.
"Issue of the safety of children in schools should be addressed by the government," Savula asserted.
12:00 pm: Education PS Belio Kipsang asserts that the government had issued Ksh 100,000 to the affected families. He read Education CS George Magoha's statement.
"I want to assure all that the government shares in your grief. We assist with the little we can and therefore the government shall issue Ksh 100,000 to all families affected and will take care of all the students admitted in the hospital. We ensured that some were discharged on Tuesday, February 4 and Wednesday, February 5. 2 learners admitted to ICU have made good progress and are being transferred to the ward.
"At this juncture, I want to thank the county through Oparanya who reduced all the levies that were to be charged on the affected learners. The ministry is putting in place all measures that the facility is ready to receive the learners on Monday, February 10, upon its reopening. I want to ask the parents of all of our 3000 learners to allow the students to return to school as the county continues with investigations into the matter," Kipsang stated.
11:45 am: Governor Oparanya states that the county would support the burial arrangements, with some scheduled for today.
"I want to thank everyone including President Uhuru Kenyatta, through his deputy William Ruto and all others who were here on Monday, including my colleagues and local leaders who have stood with us. The death of 14 pupils in one of the top schools is a big blow to our county. Let me take this time again to send our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and Kakamega County. Out of its excellent performance, this school has brought together pupils from other counties too.
"The building that the accident happened in was constructed through community efforts and county government, housing 32 classrooms. The school has consistently recorded impressive results in the national exams with a mean score of 322 in the past five years. Its total population is 3,128 in the primary school and 296 in the ECD. It has 76 teachers, 70 for primary and 6 for ECD.
11:36 am: Oparanya is booed after he mentioned the late President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi while delivering his speech.
"We made sure we had organised the burial arrangements for these children because as you all know, we have lost the second president of Kenya," he stated as mourners shouted him down.
"We will also be going to Kabarnet to oversee a good send-off," he continued.
11:30 am: Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya arrives and the event commences with prayers from various local pastors.
11:00 am: KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion arrives at the venue.
9:00 am: ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, Ford-Kenya leader Moses Wetangula, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, his counterparts Stephen Sang (Nandi), Mwangi wa Iria (Muranga), Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu) and Ali Roba (Mandera) arrive at the venue.
8:00 am: Crowd start streaming into Bukhungu Stadium.
Western region government pathologist Dickson Mchana confirmed that six of the deceased pupils died of suffocation. President Uhuru Kenyatta condoled with the families on Monday, February 3 and expressed hope for a quick recovery of the 38 pupils who were also affected as his deputy, William Ruto, visited the pupils later on Tuesday, February 4, and sympathised them.
Ruto indicated that the government would cater for all the expenses including medical and funeral costs of the affected students.
On Thursday, February 6, one of the students, a Muslim, was laid t rest after a requiem service was held for her at Jamia Mosque, Kakamega.
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