Identification process begins for victims of Utumishi Girls dormitory fire tragedy in Naivasha

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Well, that's uh the cabinet secretary for education, Julius Ouma Juma, just giving us updates on the recent um incident that happened at uh Gilgil. Uh the process of identifying the bodies of the students who perished in the dormitory fire tragedy at Utumishi Girls Senior School is underway in Naivasha.

[00:00:17]And our reporter, Francis Utuma, is at the scene and joins us live. Good afternoon, uh Francis. We are meant to understand that families are there to identify their loved ones. And uh we are looking at a situation where by DNA might be needed to identify some of the victims that they are said to have been burnt beyond recognition.

[00:00:38]>> Yeah, that's right, Bentura. We are still standing here in front of uh the Naivasha funeral home. And an air of anxiety and sadness still hangs heavy here. Couple of minutes ago, there was a flurry of activity behind me. So many parents were camping around here. Of course, with the hope that they would be allowed to view the remains of their loved ones. But that hasn't happened as we speak right now. And focus has actually shifted now back to Gilgil because we've had county officials, disaster county officials from Nakuru coming here to try and collect and and and bring together parents who had camped here so that they ferry them back to Gilgil uh for collection of samples of DNA. And that has really been dejecting uh for for for and uh really a huge setback for many parents who've been gathering here. Uh we've had a bit of scuffles here, parents trying to argue their way out and trying to say that uh why do we have this kind of uh sort of a breakdown of communication because many had hoped that this was the way the location where they would do that process. But right now we've had uh vehicles coming here, collecting parents, and taking them taking them to the other side, that is in Gilgil, back to the school to collect samples. That has been a hot potato as uh we speak right now. And slowly we are witnessing uh things tilting uh slowly towards accountability. That's the big question uh that is uh now hanging around the whole uh Utumishi uh Girls inferno.

[00:02:01]People want to know what exactly happened. We've heard suspicions of arson. We've heard the arrest of the eight learners, but still we haven't really gotten the official communication that precisely this is what caused the fire and this is how it was triggered.

[00:02:14]So, that is the confusion that is still going on here. And I want to engage a pair one one parent whom we've found here who is also was stuck here despite the fact that they've been asked to go there other side to Gilgil. He says he's dejected, but I don't want to put words to his mouth. Let me hear Let me listen to Let's listen to what he has to say.

[00:02:37]Please tell us how has it been so far?

[00:02:40]And please tell us your name.

[00:02:41]>> My name is uh John Muidory.

[00:02:44]I'm one of the parents father to Nicole Michelle, one of the victims who has faced this issue.

[00:02:54]And I say that we have been here for the long day. Since morning we have been here, but nothing is forthcoming since morning.

[00:03:02]And we are wondering what is happening what's going on cuz I came here with my wife since morning.

[00:03:08]We were told that DNA samples were to be taken, but nothing is forthcoming since since I came here. So, we are still wondering what's going on.

[00:03:18]>> Is this a communication breakdown or what is happening because they say that you're needed on the other side of Gilgil to of course call samples collection.

[00:03:27]>> Okay, what I can say is we are here on the ground.

[00:03:31]The mortuary is here.

[00:03:33]The samples of our daughters or our sons are I mean our daughters are here. Why should we go to Gilgil unless the samples of our children are here? Why waste a lot of time going to Gilgil and yet our children are here?

[00:03:47]Um it just goes by the thing that we just use the samples that are here. We are here as parents. Whatever they need, we are ready to provide. Why should they waste time going to Gilgil? What's the need of going to Gilgil?

[00:04:01]>> We've obviously been interacting with lots of parents who are who had come to here earlier. Are you seeing a case where you parents are mishandled? Is that what you're saying?

[00:04:11]>> We are very much mishandled, especially not by the the Red Cross team, but the county government of Nakuru.

[00:04:20]And I would really like to address the governor, Susan Kihika.

[00:04:25]She should do something about the operations of the county.

[00:04:29]Cuz you see, the operations here are very poor.

[00:04:32]They are not reliable as I speak.

[00:04:36]Cuz most of the parents came here very early in the morning. Some of them they came here at 6:00. But nothing has been forthcoming.

[00:04:44]>> I know this is tough, but how did you learn that your daughter was among the dead?

[00:04:48]>> I learned it from the social media. Um I work at Nairobi Dutch Chemical Pharmaceuticals.

[00:04:55]But I was called by my wife. And she told me that according to the information she's getting from the school, our daughter is no more.

[00:05:05]So I had to rush and come here and witness the developments. Yeah.

[00:05:11]>> Lastly, what are you hoping that will come out of this when all is said and done?

[00:05:15]>> Justice, justice, justice.

[00:05:18]Let the truth be Let the truth portray itself.

[00:05:25]Cuz as much as they are they are giving us so many side shows, they should tell us they should give us the bodies of our kids.

[00:05:34]We as parents we have accepted the reality.

[00:05:37]We have lost our children.

[00:05:39]The only thing we need now is to prepare for burying our kids. So they should give us the bodies of our kids. We are here. We are volunteering for the DNA test that they say.

[00:05:53]And we are ready to be be given the samples. Even if we don't have the bodies, you can give even give an give us the samples. We are ready to bury the samples as well. Yeah.

[00:06:02]>> Uh Baba Nicole, we truly thank you for speaking to us and we are praying for you. Thank you so much. It's really a tough time here as you can as you had right from Baba Nicole. He's really had a tough time this morning. Of course, having those back and forth coming from authorities, but he's still not giving up. He says he's still here until he gets clear direction. So, those are the the kind of situations that we are recording down here. We've been speaking to couple of parents and I can confirm to you that they are completely broken.

[00:06:31]So, that is the match that we have from this end. It's back to you.

[00:06:36]>> And maybe Francis Ontomwa, before I let you go, just a quick one. You've had talks with authorities there. Is there probability that the identification process will begin today?

[00:06:50]>> Uh perhaps not identification, but sampling. I think today they are largely going to take samples. According to the pathologist we spoke to yesterday, Dr. Titus Ngulungu, the lead pathologist, he said that the process of picking samples will begin honestly today. So, largely that is what will be happening today.

[00:07:08]The matching of the samples, of course, that is what will be taking course thereafter. Therefore, we expect that these answers should be coming in soon because at this stage what we are really having is parents suspecting that their kin died in the inferno. So long as your kid is not found anywhere, your child is missing, there is suspicion that he could or she could be part of the the the victims of the children who died. So, it is only the DNA, of course, process that will rest the case and give these people the proper answers that indeed you lost your loved one and here are the remains for you to go and bury. So, that is the match that we have from this end.

[00:07:49]We're still recording so many officials coming here. The Kenya Red Cross had pitched their tent here a few moments ago. We've seen them undig it and take it elsewhere. So, that tells you that activities are slowly they're trying to discourage people from here and encouraging more to on the other side of Gilgil where of course the DNA sampling will be taking place.

[00:08:11]>> Well, thank you so much Francis Ontoma for that and definitely we'll be coming back to you for more updates in our subsequent bulletins. But at this point we take a breather here at KTN Newsdesk.

[00:08:22]I'll see you in a short while. Stay tuned.