Kakamega
By Wilson Abiri
- Autopsy results shows pupils suffocated to death
- They died following a stampede at Kakamega primary
- One of them has already been buried
- Musalia Mudavadi to attend the requiem mass
- Mudavadi will also attend the burial of ANC Malava branch secretary, Francis Luchivya
- There are claims the pupils saw a ghost of a former teacher who died long time ago and ran away to their death
The 14 pupils of Kakamega Primary School who died on Monday met their untimely death due to suffocation.
This is according to postmortem results that were released to the public on Thursday evening by the government pathologist, Dr Dickson Mchana.
Addressing the media at Kakamega County Teaching and Referral hospital mortuary, Dr Mchana said one of the pupils besides having damaged lungs, he also had a fracture on the left shoulder.
Mchana said they were conducting the postmortem since the deaths were not contestable and that they want the affected families to collect the bodies of the remaining 13 pupils’ tomorrow morning in readiness for the requiem mass at Bukhungu stadium.
Religious from different denominations will lead the service.
Already one of the victims, Nailah Kiverenge was buried on Wednesday as she was a Muslim.
Others are Antonnet Iramwenya, Prudence Eliza, Catherine Aloo, Naila Kiverenge, Prince Vermaline, Nichole Achola, Venessa Adesa, Fidel Kumbuti, Simon Waweru, Samuel Simekha, Lavenda Akasa, June Nakhumicha, Joseph Mutsami and Bertha Munywele.
Meanwhile, Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi is expected in Kakamega tomorrow to eulogise with families of the 14 children who died on Monday after a stampede.
“It is with profound sadness that I send my condolences to parents and relatives of the 14 young innocent souls that we have lost in a stampede at their school in Kakamega,” ANC leader said in a statement.
Mudavadi handlers have confirmed that the ANC leader will later proceed to Butali in Malava sub county for the funeral of his close ally, the late Francis Luchivya, an ANC official who will be laid to rest tomorrow.
Mudavadi through his press secretary Kibisu Kabatesi, he expressed his sympathies with the bereaved families.
“It is with profound sadness that I send my condolences to parents and relatives of the 14 young innocent souls that we have lost in a stampede at their school in Kakamega,” ANC leader said in a statement.
He called on the Kakamega county government to ensure safety of children in schools to evade recurrence of such fatalities.
The Monday stampede occurred when operations in health facilities in the county had paralyzed hospitals following a doctors strike that lasted for three days.
“As we condole with the families of the dead pupils as well as those who were injured, it is necessary that thorough investigations be carried out to establish what caused the stampede,” asserted Mr Mudavadi.
He added that investigations should ensure those responsible for the error of commission or omission are answerable to their actions.
The sentiments by Mr Mudavadi were backed by Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) call to establish the cause of the tragedy that has grieved 14 families.
Kuppet chairman Mr Omboko Milemba asked Education CS George Magoha to urgently convene a national stakeholders conference to discuss safety and security in schools.
He said when he led a delegation of Kuppet officials in Kakamega school to eulogise with families on Wednesday.
Ends
