Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers has condemned the Monday incident where students of St Steven's Girls Secondary School in Machakos County attacked Standard Group journalists and a driver and burnt down a vehicle they travelled in.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, KUPPET Chairman Omboko Milemba said that there is need to carry out an expeditious investigation on the matter to find out what caused the heinous attack.
"We don't have a history as a representative where a press moves to a school and is attacked the way it was attacked more so by girls. It was a rare occurrence and as a union, whereas we represent our teachers we don't stand for criminal acts," said Milemba.
The union boss also revealed that they have sent out their team to carry out a private investigation on the matter. He further urged the Teachers Service Commission and the National Police to follow suit in order to get to the nitty-gritty of the matter.
Caroline Bii (KTN News reporter), Boniface Magana (cameraman) and Immaculate Joseph had visited the school to pursue a story of a Form Two student reported to have gone missing from the institution on March 4, two days after reporting back from half-term break.
The school principal, John Musyoki, declined to address them on the matter and asked them to pursue it with the school's proprietor outside the institution's compound.
He began pelting stones at the cameraman, Magana, who was badly injured as they began fighting for their lives. During the attack, a double cabin pick-up owned by The Standard Group, which the journalists had travelled in, was set ablaze.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation, the school principal was arrested and arraigned in court today.
Mr Musyoki was released on Sh1 million bond after denying the charges.
The Media Council of Kenya and the Kenya Union of Journalist also condemned the incident and called on the authorities to act swiftly on the matter.
