By Enock Okong’o
The police in Kisii County have arrested nine students in connection with torching of a dormitory in their school.
Magena Boys Secondary school Principal Mr. Joel Mwene said that the dormitory caught fire on Monday morning which completely razed it down.
“The fire was noticed by cooks and watchmen who raised alarm but it was too late as by the time villagers arrived to put it out, mattresses and other materials had been completely reduced to ashes,” he said.
Mr. Joel Mwene, Principal, Magena Boys’ High School. Photo Enock Okong’o
The inferno left more than 80 of its occupants with no accommodation and personal effects.
The police from Magena and Kenyenya stations commenced investigations which found that a group of Form Three students used mattresses to torch the dorm.
The ring leaders were arrested and taken to Kenyenya Police Station for questioning and further processing.
The Principal noted that no students had raised any grievances that would have led to the unfortunate incident.
“We have been running the school smoothly despite financial constraints. This incident has caught us by surprise,” he said.
The Principal painfully narrated how the school suffered several arsons in 2016 and prayed for history not to repeat itself.
Mr. Mwene asked parents to talk to their children to take care of their institutions like their own property because it was their parents who bore the brunt of building and rebuilding them.
He also appealed to the students to employ dialogue whenever they wanted to voice their grievances.
Kenyenya sub county Director of Education Mr. George Ouma condemned the incident and said that the students will foot the cost of destroyed items instead of involving other innocent learners.
“The police are investigating and their feedback will give us direction on our next course of action,” he said.
He regretted that the incident occurred at a time when Form Four candidates were busy preparing for their national examinations.
Mr. Ouma appealed to peace loving students in the school to not sit back and watch a few disgruntled ones destroy their school.
“Do not hide culprits because you will be their next victims after you have spared them,” said the officer.
The deliberate fire incident comes barely a week after a dormitory at Igonga Secondary School in Bonchari Constituency was reduced to ashes leading to the loss of property worth millions of shillings.
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