Calls For Disaster Management Reforms After Utumishi Girls Fire

By Elijah Cherutich

Questions over the government’s handling of emergencies have intensified following the fire at Utumishi Girls Senior School in Gilgil that claimed 16 lives, with education stakeholders citing weaknesses in disaster response coordination across national and county agencies.

A day after the tragedy, educationist Felisters Malatit said the scale of the loss at the school points to significant gaps in disaster management systems, particularly within institutions that are expected to have emergency response protocols and safety guidelines in place.

Speaking in Nakuru town, Malatit argued that shortcomings in coordination among government agencies responsible for disaster preparedness and response may have contributed to challenges witnessed during the incident.

She noted that effective disaster management requires seamless collaboration between ministries, departments and different levels of government, adding that fragmented responsibilities often delay response efforts during emergencies.

According to Malatit, the disaster has highlighted broader systemic challenges that continue to affect emergency response operations across the country, raising concerns about the readiness of institutions to handle major incidents.

“The national disaster management unit is under the ministry of interior but when you check on the fire fighting equipment in counties it’s under the transport docket, so where is the chain of command”, she said.

Her remarks come amid growing public scrutiny over how the response to the school fire was coordinated, with questions emerging about whether existing emergency systems are adequately equipped to deal with disasters in learning institutions.

Malatit said there is a need to strengthen disaster preparedness among students and school communities to enable them to take early mitigation measures that could help reduce casualties and property damage during emergencies.

She emphasized that disaster response should not be limited to government agencies alone, but should also involve regular training, drills and awareness programs aimed at equipping learners and staff with basic emergency management skills.

The fire tragedy has sparked renewed debate on school safety standards and emergency preparedness, with stakeholders calling for a review of response mechanisms to ensure institutions are better prepared to handle disasters.

The incident has also drawn criticism from sections of the public who have faulted the government’s response, describing it as slow and poorly coordinated at a time when rapid intervention was needed.