The parents of the 21 boys who perished in a dormitory fire at the Hillside Endarasha Academy, Nyeri County, are opposed to plans by the state to subject investigations into the fire tragedy to a public inquest.

The parents want the government to first make public the findings from the investigations that were conducted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. They said that it was only fair that they are given an opportunity to interrogate the report, establish any gaps before deciding whether or not a public inquest into the incident is necessary.

“We have been told that the file has been recommended for public inquest and as a parent, I object that because a public inquest means that the investigations that had been going on for one year have failed.

Before we go for the inquest, we need to get the inconclusive report because the investigating agency DCI was there for almost a month and it means this public inquest is an after-thought, maybe there is something they are trying to cover up,” said Cyrus Chege, whose son Roy Victor Muturi, died in the fire.

The parents are also demanding for the release of DNA results as well as post-mortem results of the 21 boys who lost their lives in the night inferno on September 5, 2024 at the school. They said that they were short-changed. They said that the government asked them to inter the remains with the promise of surrendering the DNA and post-mortem results immediately after the funerals.

“The games started on that day, when they took us to the dormitories to view the remains because they knew all along they wanted to take advantage of us.

“We were told that in three months heads would roll but months passed. In January I walked into the DCI office to ask for my DNA results and post-mortem, but I was told that because of the seriousness of the matter, the investigations were being handled from Nairobi. They took us for granted, they treated us like fools. All we were demanding for and what we are demanding is justice for our sons which has not been served even today,” Victor Kiragu said.

The parents spoke during a memorial and candle lighting service which was held at the Nyeri Catholic Secretariat Hall to mark the first anniversary of the tragedy. The service was organised by the inter-religious Council of Kenya, a coalition of all major faith communities in Kenya.

Emotions ran high as parents and relatives of the victim’s decried frustration and neglect from the government agencies, the school administration and political leaders, despite numerous pledges for support for the bereaved families.

“The government abandoned us after the burial. What really hurts is that we have never gotten justice. These are young innocent souls that the government should have stopped at nothing to ensure that justice was served. To be honest, we would have held protests to demand justice, but these are children. I would plead with the government to ensure that justice is served,” said Vivian Maina, who lost her brother in the fire.

“We are not going to get justice, unless we fight. And fighting means speaking out. All the 21 boys were innocent, their friends cannot fight for them, it is up to us the parents and we are not going to stop.

“We are saying we are not even looking for compensation; we just want to know the truth of what happened. When we know the truth we will be able to heal and the souls of the 21 boys we lost will rest in peace,” Timothy Gikonyo, another parent, said.

Religious leaders present promised to continue providing support to the parents until the truth into what transpired is unearthed.

They also called on the state agencies responsible to expedite the administration of justice for the families of the victims.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Wangari Mwangi