Lloyd Michaud
The newspapers on Sunday, May 30, reported on a range of topics, with the spotlight still on the Utumishi Academy inferno that claimed at least 16 lives.
Front pages of Sunday Nation and Taifa Jumapili newspapers. Photos: Screengrabs from Sunday Nation, Taifa Jumapili.
Source: UGC 1. Sunday Nation The newspaper carried new revelations about the Utumishi Girls Senior School arson attack, which killed 16 students.
According to the detectives, eight girls have been singled out by classmates and witnesses as being involved.
Detectives say they have gathered strong evidence, including CCTV footage, linking the suspects, currently held at Gilgil Police Station, to the fire that broke out early Thursday morning, May 28, in a dormitory.
According to investigators, the girls are still recording statements and undergoing interrogation before being taken to court.
Their parents have been informed of their detention, and detectives emphasize that the students remain suspects until proven guilty.
Initially, 30 students were questioned, but the number was narrowed down to eight, all in Form Three.
Witnesses repeatedly mentioned their names, and some of the girls reportedly confessed, haunted by the tragedy.
The blaze, which started around 12:45 am in the Meline Waithera Block B dormitory housing 200 students, left 79 injured.
Survivors claim Form Three students protesting against school administration set a mattress on fire, which quickly spread.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed the suspects will face court, while Education CS Julius Ogamba stated that preliminary findings confirm arson.
He also noted safety violations, overcrowding, locked exits, and announced disciplinary action against the principal and two teachers who ignored warnings of the planned attack.
Forensic teams are now analysing burn patterns, ignition sources, and electrical systems to determine the exact cause. DNA samples from parents are being collected to identify victims whose bodies were burned beyond recognition.
2. Taifa Jumapili The newspaper also spared a space for the Utumishi Academire fire tragedy.
A 17-year-old Form Three student who survived the fire revealed that they fought for their lives when the flames gutted the dormitory.
The student said she was among 220 students sleeping in the Meline Waithera dormitory on the night of the incident. She said she was woken up by the screams of other students after the fire broke out at around midnight.
At first, she didn’t think there was any danger because the dormitory was constantly noisy. However, soon after, heavy smoke and flames spread rapidly.
She noted that other students panicked when they discovered that the dormitory door was locked from the outside and the key could not be found immediately.
She broke his arm and leg after falling and losing consciousness before he was taken to hospital.
Meanwhile, mourning reigned at the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital morgue as families, relatives and friends of the 16 girls who died began the arduous task of identifying the bodies.
The parents, accompanied by their relatives, arrived at the hospital for the post-mortem as they consoled each other during this difficult period that has left the country in mourning.
Three medical examiners were deployed to ensure the exercise is completed quickly and efficiently.
The post-mortem is expected to help determine the exact cause of the deaths as well as facilitate identification of the bodies.
The families are also awaiting DNA test results before the bodies are handed over for burial. Outside the morgue, mourners were seen overwhelmed with grief.
Some were praying while others remembered the lives of the girls whose dreams were suddenly cut short by the fire.
The girls and seven others who sustained injuries are still being treated at a hospital in Nairobi. Hospital officials have tightened security at the morgue to maintain calm during the crucial exercise.
Only close family members and staff are allowed in.
The Kenya Red Cross Society has also set up tents at the site, where counsellors and psychologists are providing care to the affected families. Two ambulances are on standby to handle any medical emergencies.
After seeing the bodies, one of the relatives, Njuki Nthimba, said only three could be easily identified while the others were so badly burned that they were unrecognisable.
2. The Sunday Standard The newspaper spotlighted the United States Ebola centre standoff.
A day after the High Court temporarily blocked plans to set up an Ebola quarantine centre in Kenya for American citizens, the US acknowledged the ruling and expressed readiness to engage President William Ruto to resolve the issue.
The court’s order restrained any establishment, approval, or operation of such a facility under the US‑Kenya arrangement, with the matter scheduled for mention on June 2.
Washington later confirmed it was in talks with Nairobi, noting optimism about addressing objections, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged $13.5 million (KSh1.7 billion) toward Kenya’s Ebola preparedness but stressed that no Ebola‑infected individuals would be allowed into the US.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) demanded transparency and public participation, warning that secrecy around the plan has heightened anxiety and mistrust.
Secretary general Davji Atellah insisted Kenyans must be informed of the government’s commitments and how the arrangement could affect public health, questioning whether the country has adequate ICU facilities, trained personnel, and border response systems.
The union welcomed the court’s intervention, arguing Kenya should prioritise strengthening its own preparedness and directing resources to contain the outbreak at its source in eastern DRC, rather than focusing on a facility for foreign nationals.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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