NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 18 — The Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has directed all police commands within the country to fully enforce the Ministry of Education policy on the school transport during night time.
Police Spokesperson Bruno Shioso Friday in a statement that all those found flouting the rules shall be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
The existing policy restricts movement school buses beyond 6.30pm.
Mutyambai’s directive followed an attack by bandits who targeted a convoy of three school buses with students from Tot Secondary School on Thursday resulting in the death of a driver and 15 injuries.
“The bandits indiscriminately sprayed bullets at the buses injuring fifteen (15) passengers: thirteen (13) students and two (2) teachers. Eight (8) of the injured students were treated and discharged and are out of danger,” Shioso said
He added that a student is admitted at Chesongoch Health Centre while two teachers and four students were referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Shioso described the attack as ‘‘cowardly” pointing out that a contingent of security agencies had been deployed to pacify the area.
“The attack was callous, irresponsible and cowardly. Targeting innocent passengers. especially school children is unacceptable and the National Police Service shall continue to deploy all resources and strategies at its disposal to arrest all acts of criminality targeting innocent citizens. Currently a Multi-Agency Security Operation Team is pursuing the bandits,” he said.
The Police Spokesperson said that the attack could have been avoided if the school administration had exercised caution and complied with existing Ministry of Education policy on school transport beyond 1800hrs.
“National Police Service is therefore investigating the incident with a view of holding the school administration responsible for their complicity in the attack,” he said.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi directed the Inspector General of Police to effect the arrest of the school principal at Tot High School over failure to comply with existing regulations.
