Kakamega stampede: 15th pupil dies after leaving ICU - VIDEO

What you need to know:

  • Salma Bilal, a Standard Five pupil, was discharged at about 4pm after spending a week in the ICU, her family said.
  • The family said she collapsed soon after arriving at their home in Amalemba estate and was pronounced dead when she was rushed back to hospital.
  • An inter-denominational prayer service and a cleansing ceremony took place at the school on Monday, with religious leaders encouraging the bereaved and those affected appealing for action by the government to prevent similar incidents.

A pupil who survived the Kakamega Primary School stampede died on Monday, shortly after being discharged from the intensive care unit at the local teaching and referral hospital.

Salma Bilal, a Standard Five pupil, was discharged at about 4pm after spending a week in the ICU, her family said.

The family said she collapsed soon after arriving at their home in Amalemba estate.

Her uncle, Ibrahim Bakari, said they rushed her back to the hospital but she was pronounced dead on arrival.

"The doctors should have admitted the girl in the ward for observation before discharging her. This is very sad," said Mr Bakari.

PRAYERS

Fourteen pupils died while at least 39 were seriously wounded in the incident on February 3.

An inter-denominational prayer service and a cleansing ceremony took place at the school on Monday, with religious leaders giving the bereaved a word of encouragement and those affected appealing for action by the government to prevent similar incidents.

After the prayers, church leaders cleansed the classrooms using holy water.

The prayers came after five of the pupils who died were buried on Monday.

THE PROBE

So far, police have taken statements from teachers and other witnesses.

Western Region Police Commander Peris Kimani said detectives would focus on safety regulations in establishing the cause of the tragedy.

The Commission on Administrative Justice (Ombudsman) planned to visit the school on Monday to investigate the incident.

Chairperson Florence Kajuju said they would establish whether any government official was negligent and check whether the three-storey building was fit for use and if the National Construction Authority examined and approved it.

“We have a feeling that someone failed ... the school management, the principal, teachers or the county director. We will check if plans were followed, if there were rails and if the plan and structural building met standards."