NAIROBI, Kenya May 29 – Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna says he will revive a motion a probe into overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure in public boarding secondary schools following Thursday’s deadly dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Senior Secondary School that killed 16 students.
Sifuna revealed that a similar attempt in August 2023 was shelved by the Senate leadership due to lack of funding.
“I feel your frustration @Perryshish. I tried to do something in 2023 but my motion was quietly blocked because the Senate “had no money” to fund a full audit of the problem. I will re introduce it again,” he said in response to a query by a social media user.
The Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary General said the proposed motion links the growing crisis to the government’s 100 per cent transition policy, which has significantly increased student enrollment without a corresponding expansion of infrastructure.
As a result, schools are reportedly forcing students into overcrowded dormitories, classrooms and even laboratories, raising serious safety and welfare concerns.
If approved, the Senate is expected to establish a select committee to investigate the extent of overcrowding, assess the adequacy of existing facilities, and propose policy and funding interventions.
