Ichung’wah Links School Arson To Violent Protest Culture
News Updated: 02 June 2026 21:28 EAT
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wa speaking during a lice session today
Majority Leader and Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wah has suggested that the growing trend of school arson could be influenced by the culture of destruction witnessed during public protests, arguing that young people may be imitating what they see adults do during demonstrations. Speaking in Parliament during a live sitting while contributing to a statement on the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Academy, Ichung’wah called for a national conversation on discipline, responsibility and the example being set for learners by society.
Addressing students who were present in the Speaker’s Gallery, the Majority Leader urged them to respect their schools, teachers and parents, saying many families and leaders make enormous sacrifices to ensure learners remain in school. He noted that some students benefit from bursaries and other support despite families struggling to raise school fees, making it even more important for learners to safeguard educational institutions.
"Today, honorable speaker, you have presented the contribution of members of parliament including yourself and a number of us to support, and when I went through that list of the students being supported, I've seen some students with fees arrears of up to 120,000 shillings who, out of the benevolence of members of parliament, they now have support to continue their education, and these are the sacrifices parents make and we are making as leaders also to support many of these students."
Ichung’wah also highlighted examples of disciplined students whom he said should serve as role models to their peers. Referring to learners he had recently interacted with from Thika High School, he emphasized that hard work and discipline remain the key ingredients for success and urged students to avoid actions that could destroy their future opportunities.
"That young man went to Kikuyu Township Primary School and he reminded the president when he met him at the science exhibition that the president, three years ago, went to commission CBC at Kikuyu Township Primary School. That young man was a student at Kikuyu Township Primary School but out of sheer discipline he's now found himself in Thika High School, a very good school, and together with Terrence Giduku and the other students they are leading a student body."
The Majority Leader said recent school unrest appears to be driven in part by students seeking to leave school before the end of the term, insisting that such frustrations should never justify destruction of property. He warned that burning dormitories, classrooms and school buses not only destroys infrastructure but also places lives at risk.
"Many of the cases you hear, especially in this second term, honorable speaker, is because students probably are fatigued and want to go home. If you want to go home you do not need to burn down anything. Not a dormitory, not a classroom, not a school bus, nothing."
It was during this section of his contribution that Ichung’wah drew a connection between school arson and violent demonstrations. He said a question posed by Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika had prompted reflection on whether young people are copying behaviors routinely displayed by adults during protests, where buildings, vehicles and businesses are sometimes set on fire.
"I had the governor for Nakuru over the weekend pose the question, could these young ones be learning from us that whenever we want to protest, we must burn down buildings? We must burn down people's shops and people's cars. I saw the other week people were protesting in Githurai and they had to burn down somebody's car. We must lead by example as leaders and as parents."
The Kikuyu MP urged Kenyans to reconsider how protests are conducted, arguing that leaders and parents have a responsibility to model peaceful ways of expressing grievances. According to him, the normalization of fire and destruction in public demonstrations may be sending the wrong message to impressionable young people.
"If we want to protest on anything as a country, let us not have fires everywhere because these children could be copying from us or from the country. Therefore, I say that careful not to condemn anybody, honorable speaker, but to plead with the nation that we learn from our past mistakes."
Ichung’wah further recalled the tragic dormitory fire at Kyanguli Secondary School in 2001, which claimed the lives of 67 students. He said the recurrence of similar incidents years later demonstrates that the country faces a deeper challenge that extends beyond infrastructure and safety equipment.
"There were measures that were taken, some of which I believe were already in place in this school, but that tells you we have a deeper problem than the physical things that we do. I don't know whether it will be enough to even put fire detectors and fire suppression systems in all these schools. But can we afford it as a country? Will parents be able to afford fire suppression systems in each and every dormitory in our schools?"
The Majority Leader also criticized those who accused Parliament of focusing on the National Prayer Breakfast while the school tragedy unfolded. He defended the event, saying it was part of Parliament’s official calendar and had been scheduled long before the incident occurred, accusing critics of exploiting a national tragedy for political purposes.
"The National Prayer Breakfast is something that rests in our calendar in parliament. It is known it is a set date, and we set that date last year. Nobody had planned for this, honorable speaker. Therefore, that person who was saying that don't need to dignify them with naming them because they don't need to be dignified from this floor. May I say shame on you that you can take advantage of such an unfortunate incident to just throw BS at this house."
Concluding his remarks, Ichung’wah maintained that while investigations into the Utumishi Girls fire are still ongoing, the country must address broader questions about discipline, values and the influence of societal behavior on young people. He said parents, leaders, teachers and religious institutions all have a role to play in guiding learners and preventing future tragedies.
"Even prayers, honorable speaker, I want to say prayers work and we must pray for our children. We must pray for our children in schools, in our homes and everywhere because the responsibility of raising responsible citizens belongs to all of us as a nation."
Tags: Edit Editor's Pick Editors choice Education Kimani Ichung'wah Member Of Parliament Ministry Of Education National Government Parliament Parliament Leadership Signs Signs Media Signs Media Kenya Limited Signs Tv Signsmedia Signstv Signstvkenya Speaker of the National Assembly Utumishi Girls Academy
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FELIX MAKONA
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