President William Ruto has declared a three-day national mourning period following the tragic deaths of 18 students at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County. The devastating dormitory fire that erupted on Thursday night has plunged the country into deep sorrow and grief, prompting the President to honor the young lives lost in this tragedy.
“In honor of the 18 young souls who have left an unforgettable mark on Kenya, the country will observe three days of mourning,” President Ruto stated in his address. He further directed that the Kenyan and East African Community (EAC) flags be flown at half-mast during this period as a symbol of national respect and mourning for the victims. The mourning period will commence at dawn on Monday, September 9, 2024, and continue until sunset on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, with flags lowered at State House, all Kenyan diplomatic missions, public institutions, military bases, naval vessels, and throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Kenya.
The President expressed deep concern for the survivors of the tragedy, offering words of compassion and support. “We extend the sympathy and commiserations of the entire nation to those young ones who survived the blaze but who will now bear lifelong physical and psychological scars,” he said. He informed the public that fourteen boys had sustained injuries and were receiving treatment in various hospitals, adding, “We wish them a quick and full recovery, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.”
The tragic incident has evoked a profound sense of loss and grief across the nation, as the children who perished were between the ages of 9 and 13, in Grades 4 to 8. “The outpouring of grief across the country and beyond our borders reflects our shared humanity,” President Ruto remarked. “The children who tragically perished were far too young to have been snatched from us. This loss evokes a unique sense of anger, bitterness, sorrow, and emptiness at the cruel twists of fate that extinguished seventeen lives before they had a chance to become the great Kenyan adults they were destined to be.”
In the wake of the tragedy, President Ruto pledged to ensure accountability in schools across the country, stressing the importance of child safety. “This incident compels us to ensure accountability in all schools across the country and to take every action we can to safeguard the lives of our school-going children. No child should lose their life in a place that is meant to be a haven for education, growth, and social development,” he emphasized.
Reassuring the affected families of the government’s support, President Ruto promised that all necessary medical resources would be made available to ensure the injured children received the highest level of care. He also committed to addressing the pressing questions surrounding the tragedy. “As your President, I pledge that the difficult questions that have been asked, such as how this tragedy occurred and why the response was not timely, will be answered; fully, frankly, and without fear or favor. All relevant persons and bodies will be held to account, and we shall do all that is required to ensure that, as far as possible, we shall never again find ourselves in the grips of such a tragedy.”
As the nation enters this period of mourning, President Ruto called for unity and solidarity, urging Kenyans to come together in this moment of grief. “For now, our nation must mourn and honor our seventeen young ones who lost their lives, and we must stand in solidarity with their families, friends, relatives, and schoolmates,” he concluded.
The President’s declaration underscores the gravity of the tragedy and the need for nationwide reflection on the safety and security of children in educational institutions. As the mourning period begins, the country is reminded of the importance of safeguarding the future of its youth and ensuring that such a heartbreaking incident is never repeated.
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