Communities living around Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School in Shinyalu Constituency, Kakamega County have expressed fears over the quality of water they consume.
The residents said they always suffer from stomach pains which turn out to be cholera when they seek medical attention.
They said they have always complained about the sewer line from the institution which they suspect could be leaking into the water sources.
The residents urged health experts who are currently investigating the cause of the illnesses that saw over 250 students hospitalised to also assess the quality of water in local rivers, streams and boreholes.
Investigations by Education News established that there was an upsurge of cholera-like cases at St. Elizabeth Mukumu Mission Hospital and other medical facilities around Khayega in Isukha South Ward.
Area MCA Charles Misicko-Lwanga said the Mukumu Girls issue could be bigger than perceived and that the investigations should be extended to the entire locality.
“The health experts should conduct thorough investigations in not just Mukumu Girls but all the other neighbouring institutions and entire locality,” Dr. Lwanga said.
Preliminary findings pointed out at contaminated water and food.
All the maize and beans in the school’s stores have been declared unfit for human consumption and destroyed.
The sick girls exhibited cholera-like symptoms.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale said they, in addition, had traces of the Nova bacteria in their bodies which gave indication that they had consumed maize laced with aflatoxin.
“The school administration took too long to act. They neglected the students and kept this matter out of the public leading to the current situation,” Dr. Khalwale said.
Other schools in the vicinity including St. Ignatius Mukumu Boys, St. Peter’s Seminary, St. Charles Lwanga, St. Mary’s Mukumu Girls Primary and St. Augustine Ilala Boys remain on high alert.
Kakamega Catholic Diocese Bishop, Joseph Obanyi, is also the next-door neighbour to Mukumu Girls so are priests and nuns who share some of the facilities with the institution, especially water.
A sombre mood continued to engulf the school when reports of the death of another student at Mukumu Hospital were confirmed on Tuesday evening.
Area MP Fred Ikana expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and called for calm as the matter is being sorted.
“It is a very sad moment for us because Mukumu is one of our top schools and always does us proud in national examinations. What happened is very unfortunate but I assure the public that we shall rectify it once and for all so that normalcy can be restored,” he said.
Butere Boys has also been shut down for similar reasons as Mukumu Girls.
By Denis Lumiti
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