What began as a devastating dormitory fire that shocked Kenya has now taken a dramatic turn, with authorities accusing students of being behind the tragedy.
Eight schoolgirls appeared in court on Wednesday to face murder charges over the deaths of 16 fellow students who perished in a dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls’ Academy Senior School in Gilgil, Nakuru County.
According to Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the girls were arraigned before Kibera High Court Judge, Diana Kavedza, in Nairobi on July 1, 2026, where they all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The deadly fire broke out in late May at the boarding school located in Kenya’s Rift Valley region, killing 16 students and leaving another 79 injured.
Students of the institution are between the ages of 15 and 18.
Prosecutors have not publicly disclosed further details about the case or the circumstances that led investigators to file murder charges against the eight students.
The incident has once again drawn attention to safety concerns in Kenyan boarding schools and the recurring problem of student unrest across the country’s education sector.
Researchers have previously noted that school fires are a frequent occurrence in Kenya, with several incidents linked to protests by students over strict disciplinary measures and poor living conditions.
Kenya has witnessed a number of deadly school fire disasters in recent years. In 2024, a fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County claimed the lives of 21 children.
One of the country’s worst school fire tragedies occurred in 2001 when 67 boys died in a blaze at Kyanguli Secondary School near Nairobi, an incident authorities later attributed to arson.
Speaking in May following the Utumishi Girls’ Academy tragedy, Education Minister, Julius Ogamba, disclosed that unrest linked to the incident had forced the temporary closure of at least 204 senior schools across Kenya.
Most of the affected schools, including Utumishi Girls’ Academy Senior School, have since resumed academic activities.
