Students of Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega County have recounted how their complaints over poor hygiene at the institution were ignored by the administration leading to an outbreak of the mysterious illness that claimed four lives.
The students told mourners when they bade farewell to their colleague, Diana Mambili, this afternoon that they raised issues surrounding the state of water, store and the kitchen but the administration never bothered to listen to them.
“The dining hall prefects raised this matter with the teachers but they were told that we were not in the school for comfort and that we should leave if we were not satisfied with the situation. We chose to keep quiet,” they narrated.
The learners, who asked not to be named, said stomach upsets had become frequent occurrences at the school and that the administration only handed painkillers to those affected.
They said the students who complained of stomach pains were first subjected to pregnancy tests.
“Whenever a student falls sick, she is tested for pregnancy and then given painkillers. She can only be taken to hospital when in very bad shape and without the knowledge of their parents or guardians,” they added.
They said the illness would have been avoided if the administration had acted upon complains by the learners.
“Deaths of Diana and our teacher would have been averted if the affected students were taken to hospital early enough. But the school waited until the situation was worse before taking action,” said one.
The students moved the mourners to tears at their colleague’s funeral in Ileho, Shinyalu Constituency, attended by area MP Fred Ikana.
By Dennis Lumiti
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