Thirteen pupils have been killed and over 40 others injured during a stampede at a primary school in Kakamega.
Police said the children were leaving the school when a stampede occurred causing panic all over the school. There were reports that the stampede occurred as the pupils, mainly from Class 5, escaped corporal punishment.
The incident occurred at Kakamega Primary School at about 5 pm saw 13 pupils killed, and 40 injured in the perilous stampede.
Kakamega Central Police Chief David Kabena said they have launched an investigation on the cause of the tragedy. “We have launched investigations because we want to understand exactly what happened,” Kabena told journalists at the scene, as dozens of parents rushed to the hospital and the school to establish the status of their children. Many parents were distraught, as reports that some students fell from the third floor of the class black as they ran out of class made its way across town.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said the ministry will work with security forces to establish the real cause of the tragedy, so as to take action.
According to Kenyans, the school has over 3,000 students with the headteacher, Dickson Wanyangu reportedly absent from the school at the time of the tragic accident.
This article was first posted on Capital News.
