Litein Boys High School in Kericho County has been closed once more, barely hours after reopening, amid fears of renewed student unrest. Parents, who had accompanied their children back to school, were left distraught as tensions resurfaced over the fate of the school’s leadership and damaged infrastructure.
Reports indicate that students showed signs of wanting to strike again after realizing that the principal, whose leadership they had opposed, had not been transferred. Parents, already burdened with concerns about the destruction caused during the September 21 rampage, clashed with the school board over the extent of damage and the financial contributions expected for repairs.
“We came here in the morning at around 8am, and I’m distraught over how things are. All the classes and everything is destroyed. We are urging the government to help us,” lamented one parent.
Another expressed fears for candidates facing national exams: “We have form four candidates. Where will they go? Where will they sit for the exams?”
The unrest earlier in September was triggered after students were denied the chance to watch a much-anticipated English Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC, a game that reportedly falls under their weekend entertainment schedule. The situation escalated into chaos, with property worth millions destroyed, parts of the school set on fire, and students occupying teachers’ quarters and even commandeering the school bus.
Ten students were later arrested after being captured on CCTV footage brandishing weapons and causing destruction. Kericho Governor Eric Mutai confirmed the arrests, commending security teams for swift action.
The latest closure leaves parents, teachers, and the community uncertain about the way forward. With final-year candidates preparing for critical national exams, urgent intervention by education officials and the government is being sought to restore calm and safeguard learning.
