Learning resumes at Mukumu Girls after two months over disease outbreak

Workers load contaminated serials into lorries at Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School on May 4, 2023. The food was transported to Mombasa where it was destroyed and disposed of. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

He added: "Nine students are still in hospital. Four of them were admitted on Tuesday. They are out of danger. The condition of one of the students deteriorated and she was taken to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH). She is responding well to treatment."

Olaka said all their recommendations had been adhered to by the school management, save for the sewer system, which he said needs an overhaul. "The outbreak was as a result of contamination of water with faeces."

"The sewerage system was meant to take care of 1,000 students but with the 100 per cent transition policy by the government, we are now talking of more than 2,000 students, in addition to staff. This has put pressure on all utilities at the school," said Olaka.

Sister Jane Mmbone, the new principal, said that out of the 2,018 learners, 1,860 have reported back.

"We are aware there are some parents who transferred their children to other schools," said Ms Mmbone.

She added: "I am happy to report that whatever was advised by officials from the public health, it has been addressed, and learning has resumed smoothly."

Mmbone appealed to parents whose children are still at home to bring them back to school. "Together with the new board of management, we are up to the task. We will ensure what happened does not happen again. The students are safe."

Mr Ibrahim Oluoch, from Lake Victoria Water Works Development Agency (LVWWDA), said the school is now getting clean piped water from Kakamega County Water and Sanitation Company (Kacwasco).

"The water from the stream, a borehole and a shallow well which the school depended on has since been disconnected from the main reservoir tank," he said.

Mr Oluoch, the Planning and Strategy acting manager at LVWWDA, said they have further sunk a Sh6 million borehole with a capacity of supplying 16 cubic meters of water per hour to supplement that from Kacwasco.

"The problem we have now is the storage capacity. To solve the problem, we are designing a new steel elevated water tank with a bigger capacity to ensure the school has enough water at all times. We have also erected a water purifier and I can confirm after tests that the water quality is good for human consumption," said Mr Oluoch.

Fr Vincent Mukokho is the new board of management chairman. Former Nanyuki High principal Dr Oliver Minish, Rosemary Wanaswa, Dr Polycarp Ishenyi and Kenneth Muhanji are members.

Other members are Fred Anguba, Jason Mulama, Bibiana Aluka, Dosiana Ahindukha, Gabriel Fwaya, Genevieve Imbayi and Masai Khakasa.

[Additional reporting by Imenza Mary]