Kenya to Charge Students with Murder After Dormitory Fire

On May 28, a tragic fire at Utumishi Girl School in Gilgil, located 100 kilometers north of Nairobi, resulted in the deaths of 16 pupils aged between 15 and 18, with 132 others injured. The Kenyan prosecutor announced that charges of murder would be filed against several students involved in the incident.

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) approved these charges after assessing the evidence. The police have arrested suspects in connection with the fire, which broke out shortly after midnight.

The prosecutor's office indicated that the suspects would face 16 counts of murder. This incident is part of a troubling trend in Kenya, which has recorded no fewer than 47 deadly dormitory fires in 2026 alone.

The Kenyan Red Cross has reported several fires at boarding schools, leading to the temporary closure of some institutions to prevent further tragedies. Experts have raised concerns about the increasing frequency of such incidents, attributing them to resource constraints and high demand within the education system.