Mbale High School in Vihiga County has been closed indefinitely for the second time this year following unrest and destruction of school property.
The closure has prompted parents and education stakeholders to call for urgent investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Additionally, the Wednesday, July 23, closure has triggered concern across the region, with education unions warning that the situation is spiralling out of control and must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Speaking after the announcement, Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Vihiga branch Executive Secretary Sabala Inyeni urged the DCI to immediately step in and launch a full investigation into the cause of the repeated chaos.
“This is no longer just a disciplinary issue. The DCI must investigate and come up with a detailed report.”
“Some of the students’ grievances are minor and could have been resolved through dialogue. We now suspect there could be external interference,” said Inyeni.
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School Stakeholders on Outsider Interference
Further, Inyeni warned that outsiders could be inciting students into destructive behavior and called for a united approach from the school community to restore calm.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Vihiga Secretary Maurice Chalenga also condemned the developments, terming the situation at Mbale High deeply troubling.
“This is not the first time this is happening. In the past few weeks, there have been riots, arson attempts, and destruction of infrastructure,”
“It is no longer a school problem, it is becoming a national issue that demands the attention of security agencies and the Ministry of Education,” Chalenga added.
He called on the County Government, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), and the DCI to determine whether the problem is being fueled internally by students and staff or externally by parents or other actors.
Additionally, Chalenga asked the Ministry of Education to lead a comprehensive investigation into the matter, warning that repeated school closures not only affect learning but damage the institution’s reputation.
Also Read: Lari Boys School Closed After Students Burn School Buildings
What Happened at Mbale High School
According to sources within the school, the latest incident left several buildings vandalized.
The chaos comes just weeks after the institution was closed when students destroyed a newly refurbished computer lab.
Consequently, parents were asked to foot the repair bill. Each parent paid Ksh12,500, while parents of students directly linked to the vandalism were charged Ksh30,000 each.
“I am shocked by what is happening. This school has produced great leaders, and now we are seeing repeated destruction of property, some of which was only recently repaired. We must understand what is driving this unrest,” said Chalenga.
A high-level meeting involving the Ministry of Education, parents, teachers, and law enforcement is expected to be held at the school in the coming days to chart the way forward.
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