The government has dispatched a multi-agency team comprising officials from the Ministry of Education, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), and the Ministry of Interior to address rising insecurity in Northern Kenya following the killing of a teacher in a suspected Al-Shabaab attack in Garissa County.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced the move while appearing before Members of the National Assembly on the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE).
He assured lawmakers that the government is taking steps to enhance the security of teachers and other public servants working in high-risk areas.
The team is expected to assess the security situation on the ground and review measures aimed at safeguarding educators and other government workers in the region.
The CS assurance comes after educators in the region issued an urgent appeal to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to relocate them to safer regions, warning that they will abandon their stations if no action is taken.
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The slain teacher, Stephen Vundi Musili, had served for just one year under the TSC. He was a teacher at Hulugho Primary School in Hulugho Sub-County and was killed in a brutal early-morning attack on Monday, January 26.
In a statement, the Teachers Service Commission said it received news of Musili’s death “with great sadness,” describing him as a dedicated educator who served in a challenging environment with courage, commitment, and professionalism.
“Musili was a devoted teacher who embraced the noble duty of teaching with exemplary dedication. His death is a great loss not only to his family but also to the education sector and the community he served,” the Commission said.
According to security officials, the attack occurred at dawn when heavily armed militants struck multiple targets in Hulugho town. The assailants first invaded the home of Boma Location Chief Abdifatah Mohamud, shooting him at close range before detonating an explosive device on his vehicle parked outside the house. Family members inside the home escaped unharmed.
The attackers then moved to Musili’s residence, forced him outside, and shot him dead a short distance away before fleeing the scene. The group also carried out a probing attack on Hulugho Police Station, firing AK-47 rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade. No injuries were reported at the station.
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Working closely with security agencies, the government has flown Musili’s body to Nairobi for preservation at Chiromo Funeral Home. The TSC said it is coordinating with the family to offer support and ensure a dignified burial.
“The Commission strongly condemns this heinous and cowardly act of terror, which has not only robbed a young teacher of his life but also undermines the right to education, peace, and security for teachers and learners alike,” said Eveleen Mitei, the Acting TSC Secretary.
Hulugho, which lies near the Kenya–Somalia border, has frequently been targeted by Al-Shabaab militants who take advantage of porous border crossings to launch attacks in the area.
By Obegi Malack
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