Tensions have escalated in Nyeri as police and local residents thwart a planned protest at Hillside Endarasha Academy on Thursday, September 12.
Activists have been gathering to demand answers over the alleged disappearance of 70 students, a claim that has sparked widespread speculation on social media.
The protest was cut short as police and residents joined forces to prevent demonstrators from reaching the school, further fuelling an already charged atmosphere.
Authorities in their efforts to prevent the protest, have mounted roadblocks along key routes, including the Blue Post area on Thika Superhighway. Activists attempting to reach the academy were subjected to vehicle checks, and several public service vehicles suspected of ferrying protestors were turned away.
Despite these measures, some demonstrators managed to get close to the school.
“We are about 100 meters from the school, but there’s a car parked across the road blocking access,” one activist, Njoki Njanja, shared in a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
She also reported threats of violence, stating, “They have threatened to burn cars.”
The situation outside Hillside Endarasha Academy remains tense, as videos circulated online show residents closing roads and preventing protestors from advancing. The confrontation between activists and locals has added another layer to the controversy surrounding the school.
The protests come after days of rumours and conspiracy theories concerning the whereabouts of 70 students, following a tragic fire at the academy that claimed the lives of 21 boys.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had initially raised concerns, stating that 70 children were unaccounted for, sparking widespread panic among parents and online communities. Claims emerged on social media that the students had been trafficked to Uganda, further heightening public anxiety.
However, government officials have since reassured the public, with the Central Region Criminal Investigations Officer, Abraham Mugambi, confirming that no children are missing. He explained that all students had been accounted for and dismissed the social media claims as baseless. Mugambi also noted that authorities had delayed interviews with key witnesses and suspects due to the traumatic nature of the incident, prioritising psycho-social care for those affected.
Despite these assurances, the damage was already done. The Deputy President’s comments had ignited a firestorm of speculation, with online users amplifying the unfounded claims. By the time the government clarified the situation, the narrative of missing children had already taken hold, leading to today’s aborted protest.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) continue to probe the circumstances surrounding the fire at the academy. Investigators are focusing on three key areas: the mysterious absence of the dormitory matron, the structural integrity of the building, and the possibility of an electrical fault.
The matron’s unexplained absence on the night of the fire has raised serious questions about her role and responsibilities, with many calling for a thorough investigation into her whereabouts during the incident.
Office Block of Hillside Endarasha Academy.
Photo
