NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 27 — The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will visit Hulugho Sub-County in Garissa on Tuesday to assess the security situation and review the safety of teachers following a suspected al-Shabaab attack that killed a primary school teacher and a local chief.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Commission confirmed the death of Stephen Vundi Musili, a teacher at Hulugho Primary School, during the early-morning assault.
“The Teachers Service Commission has learnt with great sadness of the death of Mr Stephen Vundi Musili, who was brutally attacked and killed by suspected al-Shabaab militants,” said Eveleen Mitei, the Acting Commission Secretary.
TSC said Musili, who was employed in January 2025, had demonstrated exceptional commitment while working in a challenging environment.
“He committed himself to the noble duty of educating learners with exemplary courage, dedication and professionalism,” the statement read.
Al-Shabaab kill Chief, teacher after raiding homes in Garissa
Working alongside security agencies, the government has flown the teacher’s body to Nairobi for preservation at Chiromo Funeral Home, pending burial arrangements.
Multi-agency response
The Commission said it is coordinating closely with the family to ensure they receive the necessary support and that the deceased is accorded a dignified send-off.
The planned visit to Hulugho on January 27 will involve TSC officials and other government agencies.
According to the Commission, the mission will assess prevailing conditions and help guide decisions on the deployment and welfare of teachers in the area.
“The Commission strongly condemns this heinous and cowardly act of terror, which not only robbed a young teacher of his life but also undermines the right to education, peace and security for teachers and learners alike,” Mitei said, adding that TSC takes the safety of teachers seriously.
The attack also claimed the life of Abdifatah Mohamud, the Boma Location Chief.
Security officials said heavily armed militants struck multiple targets at dawn, first storming the chief’s residence, where they shot him at close range before detonating an explosive device on his vehicle parked outside. Family members inside the house were not harmed.
The attackers later targeted Musili’s home, forced him outside and killed him a short distance away before fleeing the scene.
In a further show of force, the militants opened fire on Hulugho Police Station in what police described as a probing attack, using AK-47 rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade. No injuries were reported at the station.
Authorities confirmed that both victims died from gunshot wounds and said investigations into the attack are ongoing.
Hulugho lies near the Kenya–Somalia border, an area frequently targeted by al-Shabaab militants who exploit porous crossings to stage attacks.
Local leaders, including Garissa Woman Representative Edo Udgoon Siyad and Ijara MP Abdi Ali Abdi, condemned the killings and called for intensified security operations to protect residents, teachers and other public servants working in the region.
