ODM-nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana has raised serious concerns over the escalating cases of systemic sexual abuse in girls’ boarding schools, linking the crisis to institutional negligence and failure of accountability structures.
Her intervention follows a damning exposé published by the Africa Uncensored Deep Dive newsletter, which implicated a teacher at Alliance Girls High School, Mr. Peter Ayiro, in longstanding allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors. The exposé detailed testimonies from more than two dozen survivors who shared traumatic experiences dating back over two decades, all allegedly involving the school’s former Christian Union patron.
In a personal statement presented in the Senate on Thursday, 17th July, Senator Kibwana described the revelations as deeply disturbing and indicative of entrenched patterns of grooming, emotional manipulation, and unchecked misconduct within learning institutions. She noted that despite the school undergoing multiple changes in leadership during the period in question, the abuse continued—raising questions about the role and responsiveness of the institution’s administration.
Senator Kibwana, who also serves as Chairperson of the Kenya Women Senators Association, attributed the prolonged impunity to institutional failures, particularly the inaction of school authorities and oversight bodies. Reports had emerged that previous administrators, teachers, and chaplains had raised concerns about the teacher’s conduct, yet no substantial investigations or disciplinary measures were undertaken.
The statement further criticized the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for its perceived failure to enforce ethical and professional standards within schools. According to Senator Kibwana, the TSC’s inaction either reflected systemic weaknesses in its disciplinary framework or a deliberate reluctance to intervene in cases involving misconduct.
The Senator expressed concern that girls’ boarding schools, which are expected to offer safe, nurturing environments for learning and character development, are increasingly becoming spaces where abuse can occur and be concealed under institutional protectionism. She warned that the culture of silence, spiritual manipulation, and administrative complacency within such institutions may have enabled similar cases across the country, many of which remain undocumented due to fear, shame, or lack of accountability mechanisms.
To address the crisis, Senator Kibwana called for urgent reforms within the TSC, including a review of reporting protocols, internal safeguards, and protections for whistleblowers. She also called for a critical examination of the influence of school-based religious structures, which she argued can be used to mask or justify inappropriate relationships and power imbalances.
She concluded by acknowledging the courage of the survivors who spoke out, emphasizing the need for their stories to trigger meaningful change across all education institutions in the country.
