Kenya Mourns 16 Schoolgirls Killed in Suspected Dormitory Arson at Utumishi Girls Academy

Kenyan families gathered in grief at a mass on May 28 to mourn 16 girls who died in a suspected arson attack that engulfed a dormitory at Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County. The blaze, which broke out in the middle of the night, has intensified concerns amid a wider wave of pupil unrest across the country.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported that 16 pupils aged 15 to 18 were killed and 132 were injured. Police say nine students from the school remain in custody as investigators seek to determine the cause of the fire.

"Why, why God have you gone?" cried a girl as she stood beside a small white coffin at the funeral service held at Gilgil Stadium, about 120 kilometres north of Nairobi.

The funeral mass was deliberately kept free of political debate. "We have come for prayers, not politics," a priest said, standing before a row of white coffins trimmed with flowers as distraught relatives wailed and several people fainted during the procession.

Relatives described the victims as bright students and lamented that a place meant to be safe for children became a scene of tragedy. "I never expected anything like this. A school is supposed to be the safest place for children," said Liz Munyaga, whose 17-year-old niece, Gertrude, was among the dead.

'So Terrifying'

Authorities said the bodies were found on the upper floor of the two-storey dormitory. Survivors reported waking to flames and smoke; one student, identified only as Rosie, 15, said she tried to force open a locked door and eventually jumped from the first floor, injuring her leg.

"I was very scared. It was so terrifying, but even as I was jumping I was remembering that there were some girls left behind," Rosie recalled, speaking before the ceremony while wearing her school T-shirt.

There have long been complaints that some boarding schools lock pupils into dormitories at night, a practice critics say violates fire-safety rules. The Utumishi blaze comes amid an alarming spike in school fires nationwide: Kenya has recorded 47 school fires so far this year, many occurring during pupil protests over exam pressure, corruption and poor boarding conditions.

Experts say the incidents reflect both copycat attacks and deeper, long-standing frustrations with an under-resourced, high-pressure education system. In response to the unrest, dozens of boarding schools have sent pupils home temporarily while authorities investigate and review safety procedures.

Police and education officials have opened a criminal investigation; families and advocates are calling for a full, transparent inquiry, improved fire-safety measures in boarding facilities, and accountability where rules were breached. The community remains traumatised as survivors recover and investigations continue.