NAIROBI, Kenya
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is preparing arson charges against students involved in recent school fires, following a comprehensive inquest into the fatal blaze at Utumishi Girls Academy Senior School.
Homicide detectives and arson experts are finalizing forensic files to prosecute dozens of learners suspected of deliberately burning infrastructure across elite national institutions, including Mangu High School, Moi Girls Nairobi, Sironga Girls, and Kisii School.
According to Section 332 of the Penal Code of Kenya, committing arson carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The DCI has confirmed that juveniles aged 12 and above will not escape prosecution.
Instead, they will face processing through the Children’s Court and potentially face long-term placement in juvenile rehabilitation centers.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Education has declared that any student expelled or charged with arson will receive a permanent blackmark on their National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) profile, blocking them from re-enrolling in any public school.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DIRECTIVES ON SCHOOL SAFETY
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| Targeted Area | Mandatory Enforcement Action |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| Infrastructure | Immediate removal of window grills and mandatory |
| | unlocking of emergency exits during the night. |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| Examination Policy | Postponement of internal county mocks if severe |
| | student anxiety or unreadiness is detected. |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
| Institutional Management | Mandatory establishment of open student dialogue |
| | forums and active guidance counseling units. |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok linked the ongoing vandalism to high examination anxiety surrounding upcoming county mock tests.
In response, the Ministry has ordered all school principals to establish student dialogue forums and remove all window grills from dormitories.
Despite pressure from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) for an early national mid-term recess, the Ministry firmly maintained that the school calendar will proceed as planned, with the mid-term break scheduled strictly for June 24 to June 28, 2026.
