Over 400 Students Arrested Over School Unrest
Education Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa informed lawmakers that four hundred and sixty-two learners had been taken into custody and presented in court by mid-June over disturbances recorded in the second school term.
He told the National Assembly education committee that three hundred and fifty-nine institutions across the country experienced such incidents, with the Nyanza region reporting the highest number at one hundred and twenty-one cases, followed closely by Eastern at one hundred and seventeen and the Rift Valley at ninety. The arrests resulted from joint investigations involving the National Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Ololtuaa detailed that the offences connected to the unrest ranged from arson and attempted arson to threats, possession of banned materials, planning of disruptions, incitement and vandalism. Among the most serious events was the dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls’ Academy on the night of May twenty-eighth, which claimed sixteen lives and left seventy-nine others injured. Nine learners were initially detained over that tragedy; eight later faced murder charges and entered not-guilty pleas while one was freed after evidence proved insufficient to link her to the events.
The Principal Secretary explained that the ministry had introduced multiple steps to curb further trouble and protect learning environments. These included sharper intelligence gathering and closer watch on high-risk schools, placement of security officers in affected institutions, and tighter teamwork among school managers, boards and law-enforcement teams. Additional support came through expanded guidance, counselling and psychosocial programmes delivered in partnership with the country Red Cross, the State Department for Gender and Children Services and other public agencies.
Officials also reached out to parents, faith leaders, local administrators and community figures to reinforce discipline and safety standards. Schools improved channels for learners to raise concerns through student councils, prefect systems and open dialogue with administrators, while authorities kept a close eye on institutions showing signs of tension or imitation of unrest seen elsewhere. Regular sensitisation sessions reminded students of the importance of lawful behaviour and personal safety.
Ololtuaa noted that these combined efforts produced a clear drop in both the number and seriousness of incidents after the tenth of June. The ministry continues to strengthen emergency readiness, especially fire-prevention systems and safety audits in boarding facilities, so that similar tragedies can be avoided in the future. The focus remains on creating stable and secure spaces where young people can learn without fear of disruption or harm.
