Memorial service for 21 Hillside Academy fire victims pushed to Thursday

Service will still be held at the same venue, Mweiga Stadium

In Summary
  • The government had earlier announced that the service would be held on Wednesday at Mweiga Stadium.
  • Acting regional commissioner in Nyeri Pius Murugu said logistical problems have forced organisers to push the event.
Acting regional commissioner in Nyeri Pius Murugu on the night of September 6, 2024.
Acting regional commissioner in Nyeri Pius Murugu on the night of September 6, 2024.
Image: KNA

The interdenominational memorial service for the 21 victims of the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire tragedy has been pushed to Thursday.

The government had earlier announced that the service would be held on Wednesday at Mweiga Stadium.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, the acting regional commissioner in Nyeri Pius Murugu said logistical problems have forced organisers to push the event to Thursday.

“We had announced that it would be on Wednesday, but because of logistics and other challenges, we will have it on Thursday. The venue remains the same, and the mass starts at 8.30 am," he said.

He stated that they still expect the service to end at 11 am so that bodies can be released to parents and relatives.

“We know all the various destinations, and the government has taken care of burial logistics. Parents will not pay a single cent,” he added.

He further noted that some parents bury their deceased children on the same day of the service, but others have indicated they would do it on Friday and Saturday.

Last week, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga said members of the clergy who will lead the service will be strict with time.

“Service will begin at 8.30 am and end by 11 am. We want to limit, as much as possible, unnecessary talk,” he said.

The fire raged through the dormitory of the boarding school, killing boys who were sleeping.

More than 150 pupils were in the dormitory when it caught fire on September 5.

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