Revealed: Endarasha school dorm had bed bugs

The Kenya Red Cross officials interact with some of the pupils from Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County on September 13, 2024. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

The dormitory that burned down at Hillside Endarsha Academy in Nyeri County killing 21 learners was infested by bed bugs, it has been established.

Pupils who spoke to The Standard on anonymity said when they resumed school after the August holiday, they found bed bugs had run down the said dormitory.

"When we opened the school on September 2, 2024, we had a difficult time as we were trying to sleep due to parasitic insects which kept on biting us," the learners said.

According to them, bed bug infestation is a common occurrence for the first few days they open school.

"Every time we open we find it difficult to sleep for the first few days. We stay awake the whole night due to itchiness," they said.

The learners said this forces them to use candles at night to scare away the bed bugs which mostly hide in the cracks of wooden beds.

While narrating the events of the fateful night, the learners said some of the pupils had matchboxes and candles as was the norm every opening time.

A parent also confided to the Standard that their child had shared their ordeal as they fought bed bugs in the school.

According to the parent, they had requested the school management to look for lasting interventions.

The Standard could not however establish whether the bed bug infestation was directly linked to the fire incident that broke out on September 6, 2024.

The homicide detectives are investigating the incident.

The latest development comes amid speculations over the whereabouts of 70 learners who are said to be missing.

Although the government had issued an assurance that all the 164 learners that were housed at the dormitory had been accounted for, Kenyans on social media are still asking questions as to whether the 70 had been reunited with their parents.

The lead investigator, Dr Abraham Mugambi said on the night of the fire, some learners panicked and fled across the fence.

According to him, while some were sheltered by neighbours, others were picked up by their parents.

"These pupils had not been documented, which forced authorities to track them down," said Dr Mugambi.