DCP demands Murkomen's resignation, Ogamba's censure over Utumishi Girls fire tragedy

The Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) has demanded the resignation of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and the immediate censure of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba following the deadly fire tragedy at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County, that claimed the lives of 16 students and left 79 others injured.

Speaking during a media briefing in Nairobi on Thursday, DCP Secretary General John Methu accused the government of failing to protect learners and respond effectively to emergencies in schools, saying repeated tragedies in learning institutions point to deep weaknesses in disaster preparedness and oversight systems.

The party said the deaths and injuries at the school had exposed serious gaps in measures meant to safeguard students in boarding schools across the country.

“No parent should go through such pain and ordeal. No child deserves to lose their future full of great potential. One death is one too many,” the party said.

DCP called for accountability at the highest levels of government, insisting that senior officials should take responsibility for what it described as failures in emergency response and coordination.

The party demanded “the immediate censure of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and the resignation of the Cabinet Secretary for Interior over the deaths of our children.”

Methu also questioned the country’s readiness to handle disasters in schools and other public institutions, saying the latest tragedy had once again exposed weaknesses in national emergency response systems.

“We strongly question the disaster preparedness in our country, especially in our boarding schools,” Methu said, while noting that similar school disasters had occurred in Kenya over the years.

The party further criticised delays in passing the National Disaster Response Management Bill, arguing that failure to establish a stronger legal framework for disaster management continues to place learners at risk.

The remarks came as the country continued to mourn the students who died in the overnight fire, which has reignited debate on safety standards, emergency response systems, and preparedness levels in boarding schools.

According to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, the fire broke out at around 12:45 a.m. in a second-floor dormitory at Utumishi Girls Academy, which had 808 students at the time.

Murkomen said the fire was contained by 3:00 a.m. through a multi-agency operation involving county security teams, the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), and the Nakuru County Fire Brigade.

He confirmed that 16 students died while 79 others sustained injuries.

Of those injured, 71 students have since been discharged from hospital, seven remain admitted in stable condition, while one student was released to a parent.

Murkomen said the government had established a multi-agency crisis response team at the school involving officials from the Ministries of Interior, Education and Health, alongside the Nakuru County Government and the Kenya Red Cross.

He added that a support desk had been set up at the school and a hotline, 1199, activated to assist affected families.

Authorities have also confirmed that the process of identifying the deceased students is ongoing as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.