- Fire erupted at Hillside Endarasha Academy dormitory on September 6 when the students were asleep
- Governor Mutahi Kahiga said the government would investigate the fire accident to prevent future tragedies
- PCEA moderator Thegu Mutahi encouraged the parents with words from Jonathan Kariara's poem "Grass Will Grow"
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Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.
Nyeri - The bodies of 21 children who tragically lost their lives in a fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy have arrived at Mweiga Stadium for a joint memorial service.
A memorial service provides families with an opportunity to honour their loved ones before making funeral arrangements in the coming days.
The sombre event has drawn mourners from across the county, including devastated families, friends, and local leaders.
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The fire, which erupted in the school’s dormitory on September 6, occurred while the boys were asleep, sending shockwaves throughout the nation.
As the hearses carrying the children’s bodies arrived, an atmosphere of profound grief enveloped the crowd.
Mweiga Stadium is filled with mourners dressed in black, many coming to pay their respects and support the affected families.
Who attended Endarasha memorial service?
Government officials, including Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Nyeri governor Mutahi Kahiga, and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogambo, among other leaders are in attendance.
Kahiga assured the families that the government would thoroughly investigate the cause of the fire and take measures to prevent future tragedies.
“We are here to stand with the families and offer all the necessary support during this difficult time,” he stated.
Church consoles families of Endarasha fire victims
During the service, PCEA moderator Thegu Mutahi offered words of encouragement to the grieving parents, reciting Jonathan Kariara's poignant poem "Grass Will Grow," which speaks to the sorrow of losing a child.
"If you should take my child, Lord, give my hands strength to dig his grave. Cover him with earth. Lord send a little rain, for grass will grow," he narrated while also urging the parents not to get stuck in mourning their loved ones.
"It is a sad day that we are assembled here, 21 caskets before us and even more painful because these are young children who we imagined when they were born would bury us. God in his way has decided that we bury our children at a very tender age. However, he also comforts us at this difficult time," he added.
Hillside Endarasha reduces boarding capacity
The school management announced plans to reduce boarding capacity from 330 to 195 students.
David Kinyua, the owner of the school, explained that there isn’t enough space to accommodate all the students in the wake of the fire tragedy.
He also mentioned that students living nearby will not be allowed to stay in the institution once classes resume.
What else you need to know about Endarasha fire
- Emotional parents and guardians painfully wept during the memorial service of their children
- The mother of the missing child broke down after being offered food at the school
- David Kinyua, owner of the Endarasha School, asked Kenyans to pray for them after the tragic incident
Additional reporting by Valary Akoth, TUKO.co.ke correspondent.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
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