Endarasha tragedy: Parents in agony over missing children

By Peter Ochieng

Some parents are leaving with fear written all over their faces, as their children continue missing two days after a fire tragedy at the Endarasha Hillside Academy in Kieni, Nyeri County.

The Thursday night incident which occurred while the learners were asleep, led to the death of 18 children aged, while a host of others were hospitalised.

Some of the parents who are yet to know the whereabouts of their children, on Saturday expressed concerns over lack of information from government authorities.

“Since Friday evening, I’ve been here. The school authorities have listed those in the hospital and other locations, but I still have no information about my son. I would rather be told if he is dead, so I know what to do next,” said Julius Kaburu.

“I have been searching for my brother, who is in class six, even at hospitals, but I haven’t found him. This lack of information is torture,” said Ndung’u Kuria.

“Even though I found my son, it’s unfair to keep parents in the dark. We deserve to know the truth,” said Lucy Wangechi.

“My son is experiencing convulsions at night after witnessing the deaths of his classmates. He keeps telling me about their last supper together. These children need counselling,” she added.

As of Friday evening, 70 pupils were still unaccounted for, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) setting up a temporary trauma centre at the school, providing counselling services to those affected and their families.

On Friday, President William Ruto declared three days of national mourning starting Monday, with flags flown at half-mast until Wednesday, to honour the victims.

He assured Kenyans that his administration will fully investigate the cause of the fire, adding that those found responsible will be dealt with accordingly.

“As your President, I promise that the difficult questions—how this tragedy occurred and why the response was delayed—will be answered, and all responsible parties will be held accountable.”