On Monday, President William Ruto chaired an urgent meeting with the Interior and Education ministries’ chiefs.
“We need to find solutions to this matter with speed,” Ruto ordered boldly. The meeting came in the wake of the fatal fire that gutted Hillside Endarasha Academy on Thursday night at about 11 pm, killing 21 students.
The President was clear: “We must expedite the investigation.”
Ruto’s orders were clear enough: the ministries should enforce the boarding regulations to the letter.
“The safety standards must be observed,” he warned. The meeting came when the country is yet reeling from shock following the Endarasha fire incident.
The wave of grief rips across, with the need for answers rather urgent.
A similar incident occurred on Saturday when another fire broke out at Isiolo Girls High School and injured three students. The fire at Isiolo Girls has triggered protests among the local communities.
“The public wants answers,” Ruto admitted. Protests are an indication of a growing public reaction against these repeated incidents of fire in schools.
The causes of these fires are not yet known. “We need to identify the sources of these tragedies,” Ruto said. Both incidents have triggered heightened concerns about school safety and emergency preparedness.
The immediate concern of the President was to make sure an investigation is well-handled and that such tragedy will not happen in the future.
Ruto’s call comes in tandem with wider appeals for accountability and action. “We cannot afford to wait,” he said.
It is only compliance with safety regulations, now emphasized by the President, that will help weed out systemic problems in school safety protocols. “Our children’s safety is paramount,” he said.
What is needed to restore public confidence is an inquiry into the Hillside Endarasha Academy fire and follow-through safety reviews.
The President’s leadership is paramount in managing this crisis and ensuring necessary reforms are implemented as a matter of urgency.
