Anxiety has gripped Friends Mbale Boys High School after Luhya elders attributed the institution’s recurring unrest to the failure to perform traditional cleansing rites after past misfortunes.
According to the elders, unless the school undergoes spiritual cleansing, episodes of indiscipline, arson, and violent disruptions are likely to persist.
With an enrollment of 1,422 learners, Mbale Boys is one of the largest schools in Vihiga County and has repeatedly made headlines over fires and chaotic student behaviour.
The unrest can be traced back to November 2021, when a dormitory was burned down only three days after several students were apprehended on suspicion of arson. The blaze consumed mattresses, boxes, bedding, and personal belongings, resulting in extensive losses.
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At the time, Maragoli elders reminded the community that in their tradition, setting fire to a house—be it a dormitory or a family dwelling—was equated with murder.
They stressed that cleansing rituals must follow such an act to ward off a curse.
They cautioned that ignoring these customs would inevitably “invite future calamities.”
Those concerns resurfaced in March 2023, when violence struck again. Silas Owuor, a 28-year-old Business Studies teacher, was viciously attacked near the school fence.
Assailants allegedly robbed him of his mobile phone and Sh80,000 collected from parents for student transport before inflicting fatal injuries.
By Joseph Mambili
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