School releases names of 14 pupils killed in stampede

Kakamega Primary School has released the names of 14 pupils who perished in a deadly stampede on Monday evening.

One of the victims – Grade Four pupil Naila Kiverenge – will be laid to rest Wednesday afternoon.

Funeral arrangements for the rest of the victims are going on with the help of a team formed by Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.

The other 13 victims of the tragedy are expected to be buried next week.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

The national and county governments have pledged to support the bereaved families to give the pupils a befitting send-off.

Counselling services are being offered to the families and the school.

In the meantime, the school has been closed until next Monday to allow for full investigations into the tragic incident that shocked the nation.

At least eight pupils are still receiving treatment at the Kakamega Referral Hospital.

Two of them are still in the intensive care unit while 36 were treated and discharged.

Kakamega Primary School has a total population of 3,128 learners.

BUILDING

The three storey building constructed between 2004 and 2010 houses 24 streams with an average of 65 pupils per stream. It is mainly occupied by Grade One to Grade Five pupils.

There are eight streams on the first and second floors and on the ground floor.

There are two staircases at each far end of the building and there has been an indication from pupils that one side had been blocked from access when the tragedy occurred.

Local leaders have called for thorough investigations with Governor Oparanya stating that it was not a normal accident.

“There must be something that happened to cause this and I commit to you that we shall find out what it was,” said County Commissioner Anne Ng’etich.

INVESTIGATION

Deputy President William Ruto and Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha ordered the investigating team to ensure it gets to the bottom of the cause of the stampede.

Dr Ruto said the investigators will be given adequate time to carry out their probe.

“Whether it is the structure of the building or it was a mishap, whatever it was, we are giving the security team enough time so that they can get to the bottom of this so that this never happens again in any other school,” he said after touring the building on Tuesday.

He later visited the pupils still recuperating at the county referral hospital.

NAMES

Here is the full list of the victims whose bodies were identified by relatives at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital mortuary:

1. Antonnet Iramwenya – 5V
2. Prudence Eliza – 5V
3. Catherine Aloo – 5W
4. Naila Kiverenge – 4G
5. Prince Vermaline – 4G
6. Nichole Achola – 5P
7. Venessa Adesa – 5P
8. Fidel Kumbetie – 5P
9. Simon Waweru – 4G
10. Samuel Simekha – 5V
11. Lavenda Akasa – 5P
12. June Nakhumicha – 4G
13. Joseph Musami – 5B
14. Bertha Munywele – 5Y