NAIROBI, Kenya, June 7 – The government has announced that each family that lost a student in the Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire will receive Sh200,000 as part of a compensation package following the tragedy.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said the State will extend the financial support to all 16 families affected by the fatal blaze that engulfed the school dormitory, as well as the family of a parent who died in a separate road accident while rushing to the institution to check on her child’s safety.
Mwaura further confirmed that the government will shoulder the full cost of treatment for more than 79 students who were hospitalised after the incident, many of whom were transferred for advanced medical care.
He said the government remains firmly engaged with the affected families and the school community as recovery efforts continue.
“The government continues to stand in solidarity with the families and the entire Utumishi Girls Academy community following the tragic fire incident that claimed the lives of 16 students and one parent, while leaving several others injured,” he said.
He added that all medical bills incurred in both primary and referral facilities will be fully settled by the State, alongside the Sh200,000 compensation for each bereaved household, including that of the deceased parent.
“The government is committed to meeting all medical expenses incurred at both hospitals and paying Sh200,000 to each bereaved family, including the family of the parent who tragically lost her life while coming to pick her child,” Mwaura stated.
The government also pledged to finance all funeral-related arrangements for the victims. These include mortuary services, provision of coffins, transport of the remains, and costs for a memorial or requiem service to be held at Utumishi Girls Academy at a later date.
Mwaura noted that several of the injured students were first treated at St Joseph Hospital before being airlifted to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised treatment, with the government taking responsibility for all related expenses.
He dismissed claims that the State had failed to honour its commitments, insisting that all pledges remain active and are being processed through the appropriate administrative and legal channels.
“The National Government, working together with the County Government, remains fully committed to all the undertakings made to the affected families, contrary to claims from sections of the media. The government is undertaking the necessary administrative and legal procedures to ensure full fulfilment of these commitments,” he said.
The process of identifying the 16 students who died in the Utumishi Girls Academy dormitory fire was completed yesterday, paving the way for burial arrangements more than a week after the tragedy shocked the nation.
The girls lost their lives when a fire swept through a dormitory at the school in Gilgil, Nakuru County, in the early hours of May 28.
The identification exercise was complicated by the severity of the blaze, which left many of the victims’ bodies badly burned beyond visual recognition. Authorities were therefore forced to rely on DNA analysis, collecting samples from relatives to establish the identities of the deceased.
By Saturday, all 16 victims had been positively identified, bringing a measure of closure to grieving families who have endured days of uncertainty while waiting for the results.
However, only one family had by then been allowed to collect the remains of their child.
The body of Zahara Rama was released to her family and transported to Kwale County ahead of her burial. Zahara, who came from a Muslim family, was laid to rest on Sunday after authorities confirmed her identity through DNA matching.
Under Islamic tradition, burial is ordinarily conducted within 24 hours of death. However, the circumstances surrounding the fire and the need for forensic identification delayed the family’s plans to bury their daughter.
While Zahara’s family has begun the difficult process of mourning and burial, the remaining 15 families are still waiting for the release of their loved ones’ bodies.
The delay has sparked frustration among some parents after the government announced plans to hold a joint requiem mass for all the victims before the bodies are released. The memorial service is scheduled for June 17.
Several families have objected to the arrangement, saying it prolongs their suffering and imposes additional emotional and financial burdens.
As families continue to prepare for burials, investigations into the deadly fire have intensified.