Kenya to charge students with murder after Utumishi Girls School fire
On 28 May 2024 a fire broke out in a dormitory at Utumishi Girls School in Gilgil, about 120 km north‑west of Nairobi. Sixteen girls aged 15‑18 were killed and more than a hundred were injured after pupils were forced to flee through a single doorway when an emergency exit failed to open.
Kenyan prosecutors have approved 16 counts of murder against nine students alleged to have started the blaze by setting a mattress ablaze near the exit. The suspects, all minors, were arrested shortly after the incident and are being held in custody pending formal charges in Naivasha court. The Director of Public Prosecutions said the charges reflect a careful assessment of forensic and CCTV evidence.
The case has heightened concern over a recent rise in arson and fire incidents at Kenyan schools. Authorities have suspended the Utumishi principal for safety violations and have closed more than 300 schools following a 2022 dormitory fire that killed 21 boys. Overcrowding, blocked exits and inadequate fire‑safety measures have been cited as systemic problems.