Families Await DNA Results in Naivasha as Investigations Continue on Utumishi Girls Fire with Board Now Dissolved

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations arrested eight students as persons of interest in the suspected arson at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School in Gilgil, Nakuru County. The arrests target those allegedly involved in planning and executing the fire that killed 16 learners.

DCI launched a detailed probe led by the Director of Homicide. A multi-agency team of crime scene investigators, forensic imaging experts, acoustics specialists and DNA analysts processed the scene at Meline Waithera Dormitory where the blaze started on May 28.

The Ministry of Education dissolved the school's Board of Management after preliminary findings revealed safety failures. Education CS Julius Ogamba cited overcrowding in the dormitory and a locked exit door that violated the School Safety Manual and Basic Education Regulations.

The Teachers Service Commission began disciplinary proceedings against the school principal and two teachers. The teachers reportedly received prior warnings about unrest among some Form Three students but took no action. The principal faces scrutiny for failing to enforce safety rules.

These accountability measures arrived as human stories from the tragedy surfaced. Among the dead was Cecilia Wanjiku, a Form Four top performer and NGCDF scholarship beneficiary. The bright science student had scored 399 marks in her KCPE at Gilgil Highway Primary School. She was due to represent Utumishi Girls Academy in a biology contest at Amref University on June 6.

Gilgil MP Martha Wangari Wanjira described Cecilia as brave and selfless. She died while trying to help fellow students escape the flames. “Her bravery, brilliance, and selflessness will forever remain in our hearts,” the MP said in tribute.

The fire response drew together the National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces, National Youth Service, Kenya Red Cross, Nakuru County government and other agencies.

From a construction angle, the incident exposed vulnerabilities in dormitory layouts. Overcrowded blocks with inadequate exits turned a night-time emergency into disaster. National regulations demand multiple escape routes and alarms, yet enforcement gaps remain common in many boarding facilities.

The academy stays closed indefinitely for forensic and safety examinations. A hotline, 1199, assists parents with reporting and counselling.

Senior officials including Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen and Education CS Julius Ogamba visited the site. President William Ruto offered condolences for the young lives lost.

This case follows earlier school fires that prompted mass audits and closures. The combination of arrests, board dissolution and teacher sanctions aims to address both immediate causes and systemic oversight failures in school infrastructure and management.

Investigations continue into electrical systems, building materials and emergency preparedness. Parents await further updates outside the secured gates.