Born and
raised in Mazeras, Kilifi county, Ethel Mambo's parents found it convenient to
enrol her at the nearby Bombolulu Girls' Secondary School, now known as Mazeras
Memorial Girls'.
Initially a
day scholar, Ethel joined the boarding section while in Form 3. Although
she welcomed the change, she never imagined the trauma that would follow.
The
recent Utumishi Girls' Academy fire tragedy, which claimed the lives of 16 students, has
revived painful memories of the Bombolulu Girls' fire tragedy of 1998. The
incident remains one of Kenya's deadliest school
fires.
Ethel, who
was the school's head girl and had completed Form 4 the previous year when
the tragedy occurred, says the incident left a lasting emotional scar. Now a
bishop, she regrets not pushing harder for action over concerns students had
raised regarding their safety.
"The
school had no perimeter fence, and none of the teachers lived within the
compound except the matron," Ethel recalls.
According
to her, students had repeatedly raised concerns about security and other issues
with the administration, but their complaints were largely ignored.
Ethel also
recalls unusual incidents in the dormitories that deeply unsettled students.
She says one learner who had recently transferred to the school would
frequently cried out at night, speaking in different languages.
According
to Ethel, the student claimed she was experiencing spiritual struggles
connected to the history of the land on which the school stood.
As head
girl, Ethel reported these concerns to the school administration, but no action
was taken.
"We
felt unheard. Even after education officers visited the school following a
student strike, nothing changed," she says.
According
to Ethel, local accounts suggested the school had been built on land that was
once a Kaya, a sacred site among the Mijikenda community. She says some
residents believed agreements made before the school's establishment had not
been fully honoured.
In the
first term of 1998, tragedy struck. A fire engulfed one of the dormitories,
killing 26 students. For years
after the tragedy, Ethel struggled to come to terms with what had happened.
"I
cried constantly and kept asking myself why it had happened," she says.
One of the
victims was a younger student she had mentored and grown close to. The loss hit
her particularly hard.
With
support from family and friends, Ethel slowly began to heal. She says the
experience ultimately shaped her faith journey and inspired her decision to
dedicate her life to ministry.
In 2001,
she released her first gospel album, Niangalie.
Yet, even today, news of school fires brings back memories of her former
schoolmates who perished.
Margaret
Mwaka, who was the school matron at the time, vividly remembers the night of
the fire.
Now 76, Mwaka says screams from the students woke her from sleep. Since she
occupied a room attached to the dormitory, she was able to help some girls
escape before the flames intensified.
Using the
front exit, she rushed out with several students. However, some girls
attempting to flee through the rear door were trapped because it had
reportedly been locked from the outside.
"It
was heartbreaking to watch the girls burn, but there was very little I could
do," she says.
Mwaka says
no psychological counselling was provided after the tragedy despite the trauma
she experienced.
"The
girls were badly burnt. I never imagined the human body could be burned to such
an extent," she recalls.
More than
two decades later, she says memories of that night remain vivid and are often
triggered whenever she hears about fire incidents.
Drawing
from her experience, Ethel urges school administrators to take students'
concerns seriously.
"Taking
time to listen to learners, investigate their complaints and act where
necessary could help prevent school unrest and tragedies," she says.
She also
calls for long-term psychological support for survivors and witnesses of school
fires, warning that trauma can persist for decades if left untreated.
Investigations
conducted after the Bombolulu fire concluded that the blaze was caused by an
electrical fault. The inquiry also found that the dormitory was overcrowded,
housing between 130 and 144 students, and that one of the exits had been locked
from the outside.
Psychologist
James Kariuki says survivors of such tragedies often suffer long-term effects,
including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress.
"Healing
is a process. Survivors need consistent counselling, debriefing and emotional
support. No amount of compensation can erase the pain experienced by victims
and their families," he says.
Recent
incidents of school unrest and fires have reignited debate about the future of
boarding schools in Kenya. While some stakeholders have suggested abolishing
them, others argue that boarding institutions remain essential, particularly
for learners from vulnerable backgrounds.
Some
communities, for example, rely on boarding schools to protect girls from
harmful practices such as female genital mutilation.
Education
CS Julius Ogamba has announced plans to establish a task force
to collect views from stakeholders across the country. The ministry is also
considering adjustments to the school calendar, including shortening the second
term to reduce learner fatigue.
More than
200 schools have reportedly experienced unrest this year, representing about
two per cent of all schools nationwide.
Kenya has witnessed several
devastating school fire tragedies over the years, including Kyanguli Secondary
School, where 67 boys died; Hillside Endarasha Academy, where 21 pupils
perished; St Kizito Secondary School, where 19 students lost their lives;
Utumishi Girls, where 16 students died; Moi Girls School, where 10 girls
perished; and Asumbi Girls Primary School, where eight pupils lost their lives.