EACC raids Nairobi chief officer's home, recovers KSh 250 million in graft probe

Utumishi Girls Academy fire: Government official's daughter warned of tensions before fatal incident

A government official, identified anonymously as Shamira, lost her 18-year-old daughter, Favour, in the Utumishi Girls Academy fire that claimed 16 lives and injured 79 on May 28. Shamira recounted that her daughter, a Form Four student, had expressed concerns about brewing tensions and unequal treatment at the school weeks before the tragedy. Favour, who dreamed of becoming a doctor, told her mother that the principal favored Grade 10 students over older girls. Concerned by these sentiments, Shamira wrote a letter to a board of management member, urging the school to address student grievances and warning against ignoring certain groups, which could breed resentment. She now regrets not following up on her concerns. Shamira advises schools to take all student warnings seriously, use suggestion boxes for grievances, and avoid locking out neighbors during emergencies, suggesting that some lives might have been saved at Utumishi Girls if these measures were in place. The family is currently awaiting DNA results to confirm Favour's remains.