President William Ruto has condoled with the families of students who died following a tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy.
In a statement on Thursday, May 27, 2026, the Head of State said the country is mourning the loss of “young lives filled with promise, hope, and dreams for the future.”
“Our hearts and prayers are with the families who have lost their beloved daughters in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil,” said Ruto.
The President noted that no words could fully ease the pain being experienced by the affected families, teachers, students and the wider school community following the tragedy.
“As a nation, we mourn with the parents, guardians, teachers, and fellow students who are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” he added.
Ruto said the government’s immediate priority was focused on rescue efforts, treatment of the injured and providing support to affected families as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.
“Our immediate attention is focused on the rescue of those affected, the treatment of the injured, and support for their families, while investigations continue into the cause of the fire,” he said.
The President also prayed for comfort and strength for the grieving families during the difficult period.
“May God grant comfort and strength to the grieving families during this painful time. Poleni sana,” he stated.
Fire incident
Several students were also injured in the incident and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, according to police.
In a press briefing on Thursday, May 28, 2026, the Principal Assistant to the DIG Masoud Mwinyi says he cannot give exact statistics on the injuries and deaths because the numbers need to be verified.
According to Mwinyi, most of the students who were rushed to the hospital suffered soft tissue injuries, while others were in shock and traumatised.
“We had an incident in school. It is something we are trying to work on. Many things are happening at the same time, and one of the big issues we are trying to address is the issue of speculation and misinformation because when such an incident happens, we have opinions, people will try to guess issues, and they can even make up stories,” he said.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed Amin have also arrived at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil following a tragic dormitory fire at the school.
