Multiple students from Bishop Sulumeti Girls’ School in Lugari Sub-County, were hospitalized on Sunday night, June 7 after police reportedly lobbed teargas in an attempt to contain unrest at the school.
Preliminary reports indicate that the unrest was triggered by a severe water shortage at the school. The situation quickly spiralled as students allegedly cut the institution’s main power supply, threw stones, and demanded to be sent home.
Unverified reports circulating online also suggested that a fire was set to one of the dormitories.
The protests reportedly escalated into the evening, prompting police intervention to restore order. Officers allegedly deployed tear gas to disperse the demonstrating students, causing several to collapse from the fumes.
The affected students were taken to Lumakanda County Hospital, where they were treated. Videos shared on social media showed some of them lying on hospital beds, while others appeared distressed as medical personnel administered first aid.
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Both school administrators and local authorities have yet to issue a comprehensive statement clarifying the full extent of the damage or the current condition of the injured students.
The incident adds to a troubling wave of student unrest recently reported across the country. Education stakeholders have called for a revision of the Term Two academic calendar to give learners an early break, a proposal that has been rejected by the Ministry of Education.
The Kenyan National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has also opposed the idea, describing it as costly and unsustainable.
By Frank Mugwe
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