Three Form 1 students of Gitithia Girls Secondary School in Lari, Kiambu county, have been arrested in connection with an inferno that gutted their dormitory.
The flames were noticed on Monday night during evening preps. The dorm built with wood and iron sheets was destroyed.
When students and teachers saw the fire, they screamed for help. Residents of Gitithia village and police responded quickly to help the students put out the fire.
Lari subcounty police commander Adamson Furaha on Tuesday said a lot of valuable property was destroyed.
The motive for the arson blaze was not immediately established.
“Their uniforms, shoes, mattresses, pillows and other items such as bedding were destroyed,” Furaha said.
He said investigations indicated that three girls are suspected of setting the fire when their classmates were in evening preps.
He said the three sneaked out during preps and returned a few minutes later. Then flames were noticed.
Furaha said the girls were being interrogated by DCI officers attached to the Lari divisional headquarters.
He said that after investigations, the three suspects will be charged with arson.
The commander said one girl had been sent home over an indiscipline problem and had been brought back to school by her parent on Monday, the day of the fire.
Furaha said the school's board of management met on Tuesday and said the school cannot accommodate all the students affected. All Form 1 and Form 2 students were sent home until further notice.
Much of their property had been destroyed. Their parents will be notified when to send them back.
Many parents are angry, saying they are expected to help pay to rebuild the dorm, which they called unfair collective punishment. They said they have already overspent on school fees because of short terms.
Soul Winning Church of Kenya Bishop Harun Ngaruiya urged parents to be strict with their children, instil discipline and counsel them to be responsible.
He blamed parents for many cases of school indiscipline, lack of respect for society, carelessness, irresponsible behaviour and keeping bad company. He said many parents do not discipline and advise their children.
Many parents ignore discipline and say their children will grow up and understand the difference between good and bad deeds on their own.
“Let each and every parent discipline their children. The teacher's role will be simple, to mould and teach. Then such cases will not happen," the bishop said. He has a grandchild at the school.
(Edited by V. Graham)