On May 28, a fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru
County, killed 16 students and injured 79 others in the two-story dormitory
housing about 220 girls.
Police suspect arson, with eight to nine students arrested
after CCTV showed a mattress set alight and possible blocked escapes; autopsies
confirmed all victims died from severe burns.
The government
announced 200,000 Kenyan shillings per affected family—about $1,500—plus full
medical care, funeral costs, and mortuary fees, while airlifting the injured to
Nairobi for treatment.
Many families and Kenyans view the payout as too low amid grief, sparking calls for school safety reforms as investigations continue.