Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana/HANDOUT
Senators have called for a swift and thorough probe into the Utumishi Girls' Academy dormitory fire tragedy, saying the country must urgently establish what caused the blaze that killed 16 students and left families in grief.
The Upper House also paid tribute to the deceased learners and pressed for accountability as investigations continue.
The debate in the Senate turned emotional as lawmakers
demanded tougher action against all those who may have played a role in the
deadly incident.
While senators commended the police for moving quickly to make arrests, they insisted that responsibility should not end with the students who have already been charged.
One senator said that if school administrators were found to have been negligent or complacent in their duties, they too should face corrective action.
Autopsies conducted on the victims showed that the students
died from extensive burns, underscoring the intensity of the fire and deepening
the urgency of the investigation.
Nine students from the school have been arrested and are facing charges connected to the deaths, a development that has intensified public interest in the case and raised questions about what exactly happened on the night of the tragedy.
The matter was raised in the House through a request for a statement by Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana, who expressed concern over repeated fire incidents in learning institutions across Kenya.
She pointed to the Utumishi Girls' Academy fire in Gilgil, Nakuru County, which occurred on May 28, 2026, and compared it with earlier school tragedies, including the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire in September 2024.
“Many such incidents remain unresolved, with their causes and accountability still unclear,” she said.
According to the senator, the continuing wave of school
fires has become a national safety crisis that threatens learners, parents and
teachers alike.
She noted that beyond the loss of life, these incidents leave behind destroyed property, interrupted learning, emotional trauma and long-term fear in school communities.
Her request sought a detailed explanation from the relevant
committee on the circumstances surrounding the Utumishi fire, the number of
learners affected, and the current status of investigations.
She also asked the Senate to be updated on the findings of investigations into school fire incidents from 2022 to date, including the Hillside Endarasha case, and on any criminal action taken against those found culpable.
Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda urged security agencies to
provide a full report on what happened, saying the public deserves clear answers.
“Kenyans want to know what safety frameworks exist in schools, which ones are being followed and which ones are being ignored,” she said.
Nominated Senator Veronica Maina also called for a deeper interrogation of the tragedy, including the circumstances surrounding the girls suspected of starting the fire.
She said the incident should prompt parents to reflect on
their own role in guiding children, while also putting pressure on school
inspectors, auditors and quality assurance officers to explain what they are
doing to improve safety in boarding schools.
