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Led by activist Kasmauel McOure, they chanted songs while calling for the closure of the school until all the children were accounted for.
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This is despite government spokesman Isaac Mwaura assuring Kenyans that all children have been accounted for.
Image: SCREEN GRAB
Youthful Kenyans on Thursday held protests outside Hillside Endarasha Academy following last week's fire tragedy at the school that claimed 21 lives.
Led by activist Kasmauel McOure, they chanted songs while calling for the closure of the school until all the children were accounted for.
This is despite government spokesman Isaac Mwaura assuring Kenyans that all children have been accounted for.
"No kids, no school, no kids, no school," they chanted.
The protest coincided with a warning from Interior CS Kithure Kindiki against the dissemination of inaccurate information regarding the tragedy.
Speaking on Thursday, the CS said the government has nothing to hide regarding the incident while noting that some people were spreading alarming statements on social media.
“We have made it very clear that we have nothing to hide. We will provide information every day but we have only asked that it is released in a coordinated manner, accurately and as verifiable as it can get.”
He said the Hillside tragedy was a matter of national security with a little more sensitivity and deserved to be treated as such.
“We can joke about many things, which is good but when it comes to serious things like deaths, you will be heartless to cast aspersions to make it look like it is a matter subject to banter,” the CS said.
During the protests at the school, McOure said their concern about student safety goes beyond Hillside Academy and includes all schools.
"We are going to close all the schools, it cannot be Endarasha. We have to communicate this, that is our next call of action," McOure said.
He urged the young generation to pass the message across to their fellow friends on the next call of action.
McOure said the welfare of schools was not only up to school unions but to all Kenyans.
On Monday, Government spokesman Issac Mwaura said Hillside Academy had 330 boarders - 166 girls and 164 boys.
He said all the learners had been accounted for.
“All girls are at home with their parents while all the 164 boys have been accounted for,” he stated.
Mwaura termed the tragic loss of the 21 pupils as a catastrophe beyond imagination.
“Two of the boys died in the hospital while undergoing treatment and 19 other bodies were recovered from the burnt dormitory,” he said.
In a statement released to newsrooms on Monday, Mwaura said parents of the 19 learners who succumbed are yet to identify their children.
“They will be proceeding to Naromoru for autopsy and processing. They will also receive mental health and psychosocial support,” he noted.
He relayed government's gratitude to everyone who stepped forward to support the affected children during the difficult situation, including the school community and surrounding neighbours.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) together with the government pathologist are today conducting investigations and scientific analysis. More updates will follow as soon as the information is available,” he assured.