Tears, grief and deep sorrow filled the air as mourners gathered at Comboni Polytechnic Grounds in Gilgil, Nakuru County for the requiem mass of the 15 Utumishi Girls Academy fire victims.
Families, friends, students, clergy and national leaders came together in a painful farewell marked by tears, reflection and calls for justice and accountability.
The names of the departed girls were read out one by one as white coffins were carried into the venue, a moment that left many parents visibly shaken and overcome with grief. The atmosphere was heavy as they paused to remember Purity Naisula, Celestine Wamboi, Nicole Michelle, Jullia Hinga, Sheril Onderi, Jane Kimani, Abigail Chepng’eno, Imani Boit, Neema Wairimu, Mercy Precious, Precious Wanjeri, Cecilia Wanjiku, Fortune Aimaya, Getrude Muthoni and Juliet Linah.
For many parents, the moment of arrival of the coffins was unbearable. Some broke down completely, holding onto one another as they tried to come to terms with the loss of children they had raised with hope and dreams for the future. The pain was shared across the crowd, with strangers comforting grieving families.
In an emotional message, bereaved mother Mama Grace Waceke said, “To the students of this nation, we hear you. You are the heartbeat of a nation. We will heal. We will endure. There are no words sufficient to ease the profound weight of our grief and pain.”
She appealed to leaders saying, “We look to the government officials not just for comfort in this hour of darkness but for solid action, accountability and leadership in the days to come. We trust that you will use your authority to seek justice.”
She also called on parents to reflect on their role in raising children, ”let us create time for our children. Let us not focus on looking for money and forget that we have a sole responsibility of bring up lives. Some of these children are seeking for attention in the wrong ways,” she said.
Utumishi Girls Academy School Captain Abigail Wanjiku offered words of comfort to the bereaved families, “to the families of our departed sisters, we extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences. No words can fully ease the grief you are experiencing but please, know that we mourn alongside you, we share in your pain, keep you in our prayers and stand with you during this difficult journey. Your daughters will forever remain cherished members of Utumishi Girls Academy and their memories will continue to live on with us,” read part of her condolence message.
Government officials also joined in expressing condolences. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, speaking on behalf of President William Ruto, said, “We will not rest until our schools are places of safety and we will take every necessary measure to ensure that no other family has to endure such sorrow.”
First Lady Rachel Ruto described the loss as deeply painful, saying, “though these young lives were taken too soon, their light will continue to shine through the love they shared, lives they touched and memories they left behind.”
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika reflected on the broader societal impact, warning that when children constantly witness adults resolving disagreements through chaos, destruction, confrontations and lawlessness, they should not be surprised when some of them begin to believe that disruption is an acceptable way of expressing dissatisfaction.
Other leaders echoed similar sentiments. Anne Muratha described the tragedy as a deep cut not only to the affected families but to the whole nation saying, “these are the heaviest caskets any parent could ever be called upon to carry. As a country, we need to have a national conversation about the direction our institutions are taking.”
Nakuru Town East Member of Parliament David Gikaria who attended the mass urged parents to focus on values, saying they must raise their children to be kind children and most importantly to be resilient.
Nakuru Woman Representative Liza Chelule called for stronger safety measures in schools saying, “dormitories zote ziekwe cameras, sensors na zile pipes za kumwaga maji incase kuna moto.”
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna issued an apology to the families for the failures of the country’s leadership. “I want to tender an unreserved apology to the families who have lost all the 16 young souls for all the failures of leadership, that ensured that this could not have been arrested. Pole for everything that we have done or not done to eradicate these things,” he said
After the requiem mass, the families were handed the bodies of their loved ones for burial in their respective homes.
Sixteen students died in the tragic fire on May 28, 2026. One of the girls was buried last Saturday after DNA identification, according to Islamic tradition. Nine students remain in custody in connection with the incident as investigations continue.
