By Collins Wanzallah
Students at Dagoretti High School in Nairobi were sent home on Monday after the school was closed indefinitely following violent student riots. Efforts to reach the school principal, John Kairu, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls or text messages. However, several teachers confirmed that riots had broken out on Sunday night, leading to injuries among at least 11 students. These students were admitted to various hospitals around the area for treatment.
John Thairu, the chairman of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) in Dagoretti subcounty and the principal of Ruthimitu Mixed Secondary School in Gachui, condemned the incident. He urged students to maintain peace and focus on their studies, especially with the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams approaching. “As we near the end of the school year and the start of KCSE for Form 4 students, it’s crucial for students to prioritize their studies and avoid conflicts,” Thairu said during a phone interview.
According to unnamed sources who were not authorized to speak to the media, the riots erupted after a sports event, specifically a basketball match, between Kenyan students and their Sudanese counterparts. Tensions over the match results escalated into violence, leading to the destruction of property worth thousands of shillings. The school’s administration tried to intervene during the evening, but the unrest continued into the night.
A member of the school’s Board of Management stated that the decision to close the school was made to ensure the safety of the students and prevent further damage. There were also unconfirmed reports that the altercation had taken on a religious dimension, with disputes between the Kenyan and Sudanese students. It was unclear whether the Sudanese students involved were from Sudan or South Sudan.
National Police spokesperson Dr. Resila Onyango confirmed that police were deployed to the school to restore order and are actively investigating the incident. She urged students to avoid using riots as a means of conflict resolution and instead engage with the school administration to address their grievances.
