An aerial view of a section of Mathare slums in Nairobi.
A family from Nairobi’s Mathare has been left devastated following the sudden death of their son, a pupil at a local school, who sustained injuries under mysterious circumstances and later died on the same day.
Peter Wafula, aged seven at the time of his death, was reportedly injured on February 7, 2025, while at Roots Institute Centre, located in Kosovo, Mathare Slums. It was Peter’s second year at the school, having joined in 2024,
Rosalia Muindi, 47, a single mother of five, said that around 5pm, she received a phone call from a neighbour informing her that one of her twin sons, Peter Wafula, had fallen seriously ill while at school and had been taken to a neighbour Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) facility.
The caller urged Ms Muindi to rush to the facility which primarily stabilises patients before transferring them to other hospitals for further treatment.
Puzzled and confused by the tragic news, Ms Muindi, a casual labourer, said she left her workplace on a motorcycle and headed to the medical facility. Upon arrival, she was met by a teacher who informed her that Peter had been involved in an accident at school.
When she entered the Juja Road-based facility to speak with the doctors, she was informed that her son had already passed away. The mother said she learnt the incident had occurred in the morning, yet the school had not contacted her until hours later.
She learned about it only when the neighbour, who had just heard the news spreading in the area, called her. When she asked school officials why they had not informed her earlier, a teacher claimed the school did not have her phone number.
However, Ms Muindi dismissed this claim, stating that she had provided her contact information during Peter’s admission the previous year.
Speaking to Nation.Africa, Ms Muindi said she had received conflicting reports about the circumstances surrounding her son’s death and is now demanding a thorough investigation into the tragedy.
"The surviving twin, who also attends the same school, told me that during break time, a metal water tank, which serves the learners, collapsed and fell on Peter, injuring him. However, a teacher I met at the hospital claimed that Peter fell and got injured while playing with other children. The water tank has since been removed from the school compound," she said.
A death notification from Médecins Sans Frontières states that Peter Wafula’s time of death was recorded at 11am, suggesting he may have died upon arrival at the facility.
The report also indicates that the child was brought in by school staff, was unresponsive, bleeding from both the mouth and nose, and had multiple swellings on the face.
Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead. Peter’s body is currently at the Kenyatta University Funeral Home.
A post-mortem examination conducted on February 11, 2025, at the funeral home confirmed findings consistent with those from the facility where he was pronounced dead.
The tragic incident was reported under OB number 29/07/02/2025 at Mathare Police Station.
Several attempts to reach the Regional Director of Education, via phone calls and text messages went unanswered.
When contacted, Ms Mary Makokha, a director of the school, declined to comment, stating that investigating officers had advised against discussing the matter.
"I am reeling in pain, wondering whether I will ever get justice once my son is buried. The school management has promised to cover the funeral expenses, but their plans beyond that remain unclear. I had so many dreams for my son. I was not raising him only to have him die in such circumstances and then be assisted in burial," said Ms Muindi.
Peter will be buried on Thursday at Thungululu village in Yatta.
