“Be patient,” priest tells students at mass for Utumishi Girls fire victims

A solemn mood filled Gilgil Stadium as thousands gathered to honour 15 Utumishi Girls Academy students who died in a dormitory fire, with a senior church leader using the moment to urge learners to face school challenges with patience rather than frustration-driven actions.

Reverend John Kivuva, who presided over the requiem mass, told students that difficulties in school life should not push them into dangerous choices, saying endurance and focus often lead to better outcomes later in life.

He reflected on his own childhood, recalling how he went through school without shoes but remained focused on education, trusting that his situation would eventually change.

"You may not get what you want in school from your parents, be patient. You know your goal is to finish up and go to the next level. We have children today who forget that," Kivuva said.

The mass was held in honour of the 15 students who died after a fire broke out at their school on May 28, a tragedy that has continued to raise questions and deep sorrow among families and the wider school community.

Investigations show the fire, which started shortly after midnight in a dormitory, is suspected to have been started by a group of students. Seventy-nine others were injured in the incident and were taken to hospital, but government officials confirmed on Wednesday that all have since been discharged.

The cleric urged survivors not to lose hope, pointing to a teacher from the school who survived the 2001 Kyanguli Secondary School fire and later rebuilt his life despite the trauma.

"You can be a survivor and live to tell the story of how God has delivered you," Kivuva said.

He also turned his message to grieving parents, saying pain, confusion, and unanswered questions are part of human life and faith.

"Even Jesus had a moment of how long on the cross. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me. And even parents here are feeling the same; my God, my God, why have you let this happen to my child? May God come to your deliverence today," the cleric said.

"Jesus understands our human pain and even our waiting. Because he also suffered, he is able to comfort the pain of each and everyone of us."

He urged parents to use school breaks as a chance to reconnect with their children and understand the struggles they go through in silence.

"Sometimes it's good to have a 'how long' moment with your students when they close schools. Let them tell you what they feel like they are missing and how they feel like saying 'how long my mum, my dad, shall you treat me like this'," he said.

Kivuva added that misunderstandings between parents and children often arise from generational gaps, calling for more listening at home.

He illustrated this using a personal example, saying his own child once rejected a new outfit because it did not match current fashion trends.

"So we had to negotiate and I had to look for one that was not so badly shredded so that we come to a compromise. And sometimes parents, we have to come to those moments of listening to our children," he said.

The requiem service ended with continued support for the bereaved families, who are now preparing to collect and transport the remains of their children for burial.

Some of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition and had to be identified through DNA testing, deepening the anguish of the affected families.