CS education Ezekiel Mochogu launching purified drinking water at Mukumu Girls

CS education Ezekiel Mochogu launching purified drinking water at Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls’ School in Kakamega on May 27, 2023. He commissioned a Sh6 million water purification machine at the school, assuring parents that the situation was back to normal.


| Isaac Wale | Nation Media Group

What went wrong at Mukumu?

What you need to know:

  • Last year, two students died of what was then said to be suspected cases of malaria in the same school while 28 other students were in May 2022 admitted after exhibiting symptoms including fever and diarrhoea.
  • On April 5, Kakamega County Government health officials reported a suspected outbreak of gastroenteritis but later retracted the statement from the official website of the Health ministry.

In a letter dated April 3, 2023, the former principal of Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls’ School, Fridah Ndolo, lashed out at the media for “creating a toxic environment” for the students.

In the letter, she said she had been compelled to abruptly close the school after consulting with the Ministry of Education and directors from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

This was exactly a week after a story published in the media revealed that hundreds of students from her school were admitted in various hospitals in Kakamega County.

Last year, two students died of what was then said to be suspected cases of malaria in the same school while 28 other students were in May 2022 admitted after exhibiting symptoms including fever and diarrhoea.

A report seen by the Nation and a wide range of interviews aimed at unmasking the mysterious illness afflicting the students and school staff pointed at two things – contaminated water and food.

Medical scientists that we spoke to during our investigations insist that more analysis on the results should be done to help pinpoint the exact cause of contamination. The government is yet to make public a comprehensive report of its findings.

On April 5, Kakamega County Government health officials reported a suspected outbreak of gastroenteritis but later retracted the statement from the official website of the Health ministry. This was the first time the government made public inference of the disease outbreak.

Parents picking up their children at Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega

Parents picking up their children at Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega on April 3, 2023, after it was closed indefinitely by the Ministry of Education officials following the death of two students.


Photo credit: Isaac Wale | Nation Media Group

The following day, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha and Education PS Belio Kipsang visited the school and the students who were still admitted in hospital.

On April 14, the Health ministry invited journalists for a press briefing to update Kenyans on what was happening in the school, but this was abruptly cancelled.

Later that evening, a statement was sent to media houses on the mystery illness. It indicated that results from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) showed Enterotoxigenic E. coli and Salmonella typhi could have been the pathogens that caused the outbreak.

“Comprehensive investigations are currently underway. Further laboratory investigations carried out on the grains and pulses for aflatoxin turned negative,” the statement read in part.

In an interview, chairperson of the Mukumu Girls’ Alumnae Association, Enid Busolo, said the sad news of the mystery outbreak was ‘just a temporary setback.’

Mukumu Girls Alumnae Association Chairperson Enid Busolo

Mukumu Girls Alumnae Association Chairperson Enid Busolo.

Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group

“Losing just one child is shocking enough. When we saw on the news that children had been taken ill, we got interested and sought to find out what really was happening. We were quite concerned. We resorted to walk with the school and support them despite the bad news as we sought for the truth,” she said, exuding confidence that Mukumu Girls would pick up the broken pieces.

Amid wild rumours doing rounds about what was really happening in the school, Ms Enid said the association is keen on getting credible information from the investigative teams that were looking into the matter.

“So far, we know that there was some sewerage effluent that was seeping into one of the water sources for the school and that was a major contributing factor. There are also allegations of high quantities of preservatives in the food,” she said.

In 2018, the government adopted the Policy on Universal Access to Basic Education. This landmark strategy was aimed at ensuring that 100 per cent of learners from primary schools transition to high school. This hurriedly implemented policy has resulted in congestion in most schools that cannot match the huge numbers of new students.

The heavy congestion in turn leads to compromised hygiene standards as important facilities such as the kitchen and dormitories are stretched to the limit.

Years ago, when Enid was still a student at Mukumu Girls, there was enough space for every student.

Mukumu Girls

The entrance to Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls in Kakamega County. 

Photo credit: File I Nation Media Group

“The school is clearly congested now. As an association, we will see where we can help. We want to work with the school. All we want now is for the new principal to settle so that we can support her moving forward. We don’t work in isolation. We work under the authority of the school,” she says.

During our investigation, we visited some hospitals around Mukumu to talk to the admitted students, but, unfortunately, they said they have been advised not to speak to the media.

Our team also visited the Regional Commissioners’ office, the Director of Public Health Office and the County Governors’ office. All the occupants of these public offices declined to speak to us on the Mukumu tragedy.

Enid doesn’t think the bar could go any lower for Mukumu.

“Going forward, communication should be open, prompt and transparent. If there is a problem, the Parents, Teachers Association should be involved in getting the solutions that work for everybody,” she says.

In an interview with the Nation, Aggrey Majimbo, a human rights activist and resident of Khayega, accused Public Health officers assigned to Mukumu of sleeping on their job.

“The Mukumu issue has left people in shock. It is like the government is tossing us left, right and centre. The theories have become too much. We were told that all this is linked to water. But when we get reports of those that are dead, we hear that their organs were rotten. We need more explanation.”

Inside the kitchen at Mukumu Girls High School

Inside the kitchen at Mukumu Girls High School on May 22, 2023.


Photo credit: Isaac Wale | Nation Media Group

Aggrey worries that the school’s legacy is being tainted by the negative news.

“When our grandparents were giving out the land (on which the school is built), they wanted to help the community. But now we will be labeled a dirty school.

“There is a deeper problem in Mukumu. The relationship between the school and the community is not good. There is a shamba that the school uses that was previously a place for holding public barazas. We are still waiting for that to be resolved so that we can live in peace,” he adds.

Another member of the community, Bruno Mwimani, a resident of Khayega, says that they can only rely on the report dispensed by the Kenya Medical Research Institute for answers.

“We blame the Ministry of Education. We know that there are quality assurance officers who go around schools. What reports did they write about Mukumu, if and when they visited? Why didn’t they ask the right questions to the right people at the right time?” he asks.

The Ministry of the Education has effected changes at the school, including a new board and management.

“We are happy that sanity is being restored. We are happy that the food that was in the storage was taken to Mombasa to be incinerated, and we are happy that the parents were given an opportunity to be on the task force just to rebuild their confidence. Mukumu is a great school,” says Enid.