By James Murimi - Reporter
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Kenya, 12 June 2026 - As white coffins lined the requiem grounds and grieving families struggled to comprehend the loss of their daughters, a difficult national conversation emerged from the tragedy that claimed 16 students at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School in Gilgil.
Who is to blame?
Is it parents, teachers, the education system, policymakers, school administrators or society itself?
The devastating May 28 dormitory fire that left 16 girls dead and scores injured has triggered a fierce debate over accountability, exposing deep cracks in Kenya's education system and raising uncomfortable questions about the safety and welfare of learners.
Yet as leaders gathered for the requiem mass at Gilgil Stadium on Thursday, many cautioned against turning the tragedy into a blame game, arguing that the nation risks missing the real lessons behind one of the deadliest school disasters in recent years.
Kiambu Woman Representative Anne Muratha said Kenya must resist the temptation to point fingers and instead undertake a painful but necessary self-examination.
"These children are our children. Even those alleged to have caused this tragedy are our children. Their parents are hurting too," she said.
"We have to stop the noise, stop the politics and call ourselves into a national conversation. We have buried too many of our children."
Her remarks captured the mood of a nation still reeling from repeated cases of school fires, student unrest, mental health crises and violence in learning institutions.
Former Deputy Inspector General of Police Edward Mbugua, the founder of the school, however argued that every sector bears responsibility for the failures that continue to endanger learners.
"Everybody here is to blame for what is happening," he said.
The former police boss faulted years of inadequate investment in school infrastructure, saying the push for a 100 per cent transition rate from junior to senior secondary education had not been matched with sufficient classrooms, dormitories and facilities.
He challenged leaders, religious institutions and education stakeholders to move beyond expressions of sympathy and address the root causes of recurring tragedies.
"These are not the first fires in our schools. We keep talking after every tragedy but fail to implement solutions," he said.
His comments reflected growing concern that lessons from previous school fires have largely gone unimplemented despite repeated promises by successive governments.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba acknowledged that the challenge extends beyond schools and requires collective action from all sectors of society.
Invoking the African proverb that "it takes a village to raise a child", the CS said parents, teachers, religious leaders, policymakers and communities must work together to tackle the problems facing young people.
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"We must have an all-of-society approach to deal with these challenges that have affected our schools for far too long," he said.
Education experts have increasingly pointed to mounting pressure on learners, overcrowding in some institutions, weakening parental involvement, social media influence and mental health challenges as factors fuelling unrest in schools.
The Gilgil tragedy has once again brought those concerns into sharp focus.
Beyond accountability, leaders also used the requiem to propose reforms aimed at preventing future disasters.
Mbugua called for greater investment in quality day schools across the country to reduce the concentration of students in a handful of elite boarding institutions.
He argued that many families are forced to send children hundreds of kilometres away because of disparities in the quality of schools.
"If every region had good schools, there would be no need for students to travel across the country in search of education," he said.
Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat called for renewed commitment to child safety, saying every institution must place the welfare of learners above all else.
First Lady Rachel Ruto urged the nation to honour the fallen students through action rather than words.
"Our children are our greatest treasure. Their safety, well-being and dignity must remain at the centre of everything we do," she said.
President William Ruto similarly called for unity and compassion as the country mourns, while Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika challenged leaders and families to build safer schools and stronger support systems for children.
The fire, which tore through the Meline Waithera Dormitory before dawn on May 28, left 16 students dead and 79 others injured.
For the bereaved families, however, statistics offer little comfort.
What remains are shattered dreams, empty desks, silent dormitories and painful questions that Kenya has confronted before but never fully answered.