Utumishi Academy Senior School

Senior secondary school in Gilgil, Nakuru County where a dormitory fire in May 2026 killed 16 students.

2026-05-282026-10-27

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Utumishi Academy Senior School

Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

October 2026
20 OctThe Standard
… Among those honoured is Utumishi Academy fire hero Cecilia Wanjiku, who died while attempting to rescue fellow students. …
Utumishi Academy fire hero Cecilia Wanjiku, Raila Odinga honoured as shujaas
June 2026
18 JunCitizen Digital
Six Utumishi Academy fire survivors return to KNH for specialised medical reviews By Benjamin Muriuki June 18, 2026 04:16 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize Six survivors of the tragic Utumis …
Six Utumishi Academy fire survivors return to KNH for specialised medical reviews as Sonko steps in
13 JunCitizen Digital
… rce on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Audio By Vocalize Former Nairobi Governor and National Economic Development Party (NEDP) leader Mike Sonko has paid tribute to Cecilia Wanjiku, the second confirmed victim of the tragic Utumishi Academy …
Second Utumishi Girls fire victim laid to rest as Sonko Team transports her remains to Ol Kalou
12 JunCitizen Digital
Requiem mass for girls killed in Utumishi Academy fire to be held today in Gilgil By Benjamin Muriuki June 12, 2026 08:17 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Am image representation of the fire at Utumishi Girl …
Requiem mass for girls killed in Utumishi Academy fire to be held today in Gilgil
3 JunThe Standard
Audio By VocalizeEverything around the Utumishi Academy tragedy starts and ends with one harsh reality: Sixteen girls are gone. …
Utumishi tragedy: The important conversation we must have
2 JunCitizen Digital
… Debate over CCTV cameras in Utumishi Academy dorms splits Kenyans By Ann Nyathira June 02, 2026 04:58 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Frame of a frozen CCTV footage showing two suspects behind the Utumishi …
Safety or privacy? Debate over CCTV cameras in Utumishi Academy dorms splits Kenyans
2 JunCitizen Digital
Utumishi Academy fire: 9 suspects arraigned, to spend another night in custody By Ann Ngige Nyamu June 02, 2026 04:30 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Am image representation of the fire at Utumishi Girls' A …
Utumishi Academy fire: 9 suspects arraigned, to spend another night in custody
1 JunCitizen Digital
Utumishi Academy fire: 7 suspects reveal motive behind the arson attack By Gatete Njoroge June 01, 2026 08:43 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Am image representation of the fire at Utumishi Girls' Academy. …
Utumishi Academy fire: 7 suspects reveal motive behind the arson attack
May 2026
31 MayCapital News
… He stated that the Utumishi Academy fire tragedy, which claimed 16 young lives, should prompt intensified school inspections and firm action against institutions that disregard safety requirements. …
Wetang’ula urges Education Ministry to act on unsafe Schools After fatal Utumishi Academy tragedy
31 MayCitizen Digital
… He said the recent Utumishi Academy fire tragedy, which claimed 16 lives, should prompt stricter inspections and firm action against schools that fail to meet safety requirements. …
Speaker Wetang’ula calls for crackdown on schools ignoring safety rules

Politics

Kenya honours Cecilia Wanjiku, Raila Odinga as Mashujaa heroes

The News

Kenya is marking Mashujaa Day by honouring individuals including Utumishi Academy fire hero Cecilia Wanjiku, who died rescuing fellow students, and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, recognised for his role in advancing multiparty democracy and constitutional reforms. Other honoured figures include former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Senior Counsel Pheroze Nowrojee, and former Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed.

20 October 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 20 October

Kenya honours Cecilia Wanjiku, Raila Odinga as Mashujaa heroes
Kenya is marking Mashujaa Day by honouring individuals including Utumishi Academy fire hero Cecilia Wanjiku, who died rescuing fellow students, and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, recognised for his role in advancing multiparty democracy and constitutional reforms. Other honoured figures include former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Senior Counsel Pheroze Nowrojee, and former Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed.
20 October 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 18 June

Six Utumishi Academy fire survivors return to KNH for medical reviews
Six survivors of the Utumishi Academy fire have been transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialized medical reviews and treatment of injuries including fractures, deep wounds, and psychological trauma. The intervention was supported by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, weeks after the burial of 16 students who died in the tragedy.
18 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Saturday 13 June

Second Utumishi Girls fire victim buried in Olkalau
Cecilia Wanjiku, the second confirmed victim of the Utumishi Academy dormitory fire, was laid to rest in Olkalau, Nyandarua County. According to Mike Sonko, Wanjiku had safely escaped the fire but returned to the burning building to rescue fellow students and did not emerge.
13 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Friday 12 June

Memorial service held for 16 Utumishi Girls fire victims
A memorial service for 16 Utumishi Girls students who died in a school fire last month was held at Gilgil Stadium, led by First Lady Rachel Ruto and attended by senior government officials and bereaved families. The bodies of 15 victims present at the stadium will be released to families for burial, with one student already buried previously in Kwale County.
12 June 2026 · Capital News →
Requiem mass held for 16 girls killed in Utumishi Academy fire
A memorial service was held on June 12 at Gilgil Stadium for the 16 girls who died in the Utumishi Academy school fire, with government officials, religious leaders, and members of the public gathering to pay respects before the bodies were released to families for burial.
12 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Wednesday 3 June

Utumishi fire: justice and accountability when children are accused
An opinion piece reflects on the Utumishi Academy tragedy, in which sixteen girls died in a fire allegedly started by fellow students, and grapples with what justice and societal accountability should look like when the alleged perpetrators are children rather than adult institutions.
3 June 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 2 June

CCTV in school dorms: Kenyans divided on safety vs. privacy
The Utumishi Academy dormitory fire has sparked debate over whether schools should install CCTV cameras inside student dormitories. CCTV footage has become crucial evidence in the investigation, with authorities using it to reconstruct events leading up to the fire, but Kenyans are divided on whether surveillance in private sleeping spaces is justified by safety concerns.
2 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nine suspects in Utumishi Academy fire await court ruling
Nine suspects linked to a fire at Utumishi Girls' Academy that killed 16 students appeared before a magistrate who will rule Wednesday on whether to release them on bail or grant a 30-day detention extension. The suspects cited protest over examination calendar changes, fees for a cultural event, and peer influence as motives.
2 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Monday 1 June

Seven suspects in Utumishi Academy fire reveal motives at arraignment
Seven suspects linked to the Utumishi Academy fire that killed 16 students will be arraigned on Tuesday. In their statements, the girls told detectives they were protesting changes to the examination calendar, the school's decision to charge them for a cultural event, and alleged peer influence after a neighbouring boys' school went on strike; investigations revealed the plan was conceived at 9 p.m. and executed three hours later.
1 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Sunday 31 May

Wetang'ula calls for nationwide crackdown on unsafe schools
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has urged the Ministry of Education to conduct a nationwide crackdown on schools failing to comply with government safety measures, following the Utumishi Academy fire that claimed 16 lives. He called for intensified school inspections and stricter enforcement of safety protocols, including requiring responsible adults to sleep in dormitories.
31 May 2026 · Capital News →
Speaker Wetang'ula urges crackdown on non-compliant schools
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has called on the Ministry of Education to launch a nationwide crackdown on schools failing to comply with government safety regulations, citing the Utumishi Academy fire that claimed 16 lives as a catalyst for stricter inspections and enforcement.
31 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Saturday 30 May

Sonko visits fire survivors, calls for accountability in school tragedy
Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko visited survivors of the Utumishi Academy dormitory fire at Kenyatta National Hospital, where he donated food, non-food items, and financial assistance to affected families. The fire killed 16 students in one of Kenya's deadliest school tragedies in recent years; Sonko called for accountability and collective support for those affected.
30 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →

Thursday 28 May

DCP calls for Murkomen resignation over Utumishi Academy fire
Democracy for the Citizens Party has demanded the resignation of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen following a dormitory fire at Utumishi Academy Senior School in Gilgil that killed 16 students, citing failures in emergency response and questioning disaster preparedness in schools.
28 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Government to review school safety manual compliance after academy fire
The Education and Interior Cabinet Secretaries said the government will review compliance with the school safety manual as investigations into a deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Academy Senior School in Gilgil, Nakuru County continue. The officials said investigators are yet to establish the cause of the blaze.
28 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →