State to hold memorial service for 21 boys who died in Nyeri school fire
Officers from the office of government pathologists carry bodies of pupils who died after a fatal fire at the Hillside Endarasha Academy, Kieni, Nyeri County, Kenya, September 7, 2024.
A memorial service will be held next Wednesday, September 25, for the 21 boys from Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri who died in a dormitory fire on September 5.
Acting Central Regional Commissioner Pius Murugu, who chairs the County Disaster Committee, announced after a meeting on Friday, September 20, evening that the government will organise an interdenominational prayer service at Mweiga Stadium.
"After the service, the state will release the bodies so that parents can bury their loved ones individually on the same day," he said.
To ensure that families have enough time to bury their loved ones, Mr Murugu said the service would end at 11 am.
However, he acknowledged the possibility that some burials may not take place on the same day due to the long distances some families may have to travel.
"That is why we are giving families time to discuss and decide whether they are ready to bury their loved ones on the same day. The clergy have shortened the service to allow enough time for individual burials," he said.
He said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had completed the identification of the victims through DNA matching - making the bodies ready for burial.
However, he noted that the investigation into the cause of the fire was still ongoing.
"We are yet to get a report from the DCI as they are still taking witness statements and this will take some time, but we are grateful for the speed with which they have worked to ensure that the bodies are released to the families," he said.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, co-chairman of the committee, stressed the importance of sticking to the scheduled time, noting that the interdenominational service will run from 8:30 am to 11:00 am.
"We hope that most families will bury their children on the same day. For those who are unable to do so, the Naromoru Hospital Funeral Home will continue to preserve the bodies at no extra cost," he said.
Parent representatives, who attended the meeting, expressed satisfaction with how the committee had managed the crisis.
PCEA Reverend Lincoln Muthigania, one of the parents in attendance, expressed gratitude to the state for its support.
“The government, through Acting Regional Commissioner Pius Murugu and Governor Kahiga, has truly stood by us during this tragic time. As parents, we’ve been involved in every discussion they have held,” he said.
Following the burial of the pupils next week, the committee will then begin working on the reopening of the school, to ensure that Grade six candidates don’t miss out on the KPSEA national examinations.
At the Naromoru Hospital Funeral Home, a DCI Forensic Official confirmed that all 21 families whose boys perished in the dormitory fire had confirmed the DNA results and viewed the bodies by Friday evening.
Speaking at the morgue after the completion of the exercise, the official said that 14 families visited the morgue for body viewing on Thursday, September 19 while the remaining did so on Friday.
“However none of the families have collected their loved ones, they are all waiting for the requiem church service slated for next week,” he said.
The Kenya Red Cross provided pre- and post-mortem counselling to the families who visited the morgue during the body viewing exercise.
According to the Head of the Central Region at the Kenya Red Cross Esther Chege, the counseling services will also be extended to others affected by the tragedy, including the school community and first responders of the fire.
She said that the Kenya Red Cross is collaborating with the County’s Department of Health and other partners to offer expansive counselling services.
A task force has been formed with counsellors from various organisations to address the overwhelming need for emotional support in the wake of the tragedy.
“We are actively reaching out to parents and ensuring that counseling remains ongoing. This is a long journey, and we are committed to supporting everyone affected by this tragedy even after the burials,” said Ms Chege.
