The recent fire tragedy at Hillside Endarasha Academy has once again shaken the nation, serving as a painful reminder of the many school disasters that have unfolded in Kenya’s past—many of which remain unaddressed.
Despite governmental efforts following previous tragedies, loopholes in the justice system, societal inequality, and systemic failures have allowed these tragedies to recur, often without meaningful resolutions.
The Kyanguli High School fire of 2001, which claimed the lives of 67 students, was a watershed moment. In response, the government introduced several safety regulations, such as mandating fire escapes in dormitories and ensuring that school matrons slept near students at night. Additionally, it was emphasized that no dormitory should ever remain locked from the outside.
However, while these measures aimed at improving school safety, they failed to address the underlying issue: student involvement in these tragedies.
In the case of Kyanguli, the fire was deliberately started by students, yet those implicated, largely from influential families, were released. This glaring miscarriage of justice saw the trial declared a mistrial, allowing those responsible to walk free on a technicality. For many, this case set a precedent where the powerful could avoid accountability.
Similarly, the Nyeri High School fire, which also resulted in student deaths, followed a similar narrative. The fire was orchestrated by boys, many of whom hailed from affluent backgrounds. Although one student was sentenced to life imprisonment, others escaped justice, leaving the victims’ families grappling with the loss of their loved ones and a judicial system that appeared skewed in favor of the wealthy.
Perhaps the most horrific incident remains the St. Kizito Mixed Secondary School tragedy of July 14, 1991, where 19 schoolgirls were killed and 71 others were raped. The attack was carried out by boys attending the same school. The consequences of that night are still felt today, as many of the survivors have never fully recovered from the trauma. Those from well-off families managed to escape any significant punishment, while the less fortunate boys were left to face the consequences. Many of them turned to alcoholism, and their lives spiraled out of control, often referred to as “village zombies” by those who witnessed their decline. The girls, now mothers, continue to bear the scars of that horrific night.
The justice system’s failure to address these crimes only compounded the tragedy, leaving deep societal wounds that remain unhealed.
More recently, the killing of two students at Endarasha High School in 2010 highlights how these tragedies persist. Despite an investigation and trial, 14 suspects were freed after years of legal delays. Many parents voiced their frustration, alleging case interference and manipulation, suggesting that once again, those responsible were allowed to walk free due to their connections. The case, which dragged on for 14 years, became yet another example of how Kenya’s justice system has often failed to deliver closure for victims of school violence.
These incidents share common themes: while government regulations have attempted to address the physical aspects of school safety, the more complex issues of student accountability, systemic injustice, and societal inequality remain largely ignored. In many cases, those from well-connected families have managed to evade punishment, leaving the victims’ families without justice and perpetuating a cycle of tragedy that could have been prevented.
The fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy is a tragic reminder that unless these systemic issues are tackled head-on, Kenya risks seeing more such incidents in the future. Real accountability, fair judicial processes, and comprehensive reforms that address the root causes of these tragedies are necessary to ensure that these painful memories are not repeated. Only then can the nation begin to heal from this long-standing history of school tragedies.
