Parents point fingers at e**l spirits at Eregi Girls as tests fail to reveal i*lness

The cause of an illness that has seen over 100 students of St. Theresa’s Eregi Girls’ High School in Kakamega hospitalised remains a mystery.

Medics yesterday said they had conducted multiple tests on the students but the results had not revealed the nature of the illness.

“We have not detected any pathogens in the samples that we have obtained from the students. Yet they are still unwell,” said the County Director of Medical Services Stephen Wandei.

Yesterday, it emerged that a motivational speaker had been invited to the school in Ikolomani Constituency last week during which he reportedly gave a sermon that bordered on religious fundamentalism.

“Eregi is a Catholic-sponsored school and has a chaplain who nourishes the students spiritually. But we are told that they brought in some preacher in the name of a motivational speaker who poisoned minds of the students,” claimed a parent who asked not to be named.

A section of parents and other stakeholders pointed fingers at evil forces and called for prayers to be conducted in the institution before phased reopening from Monday.

“Nearly all the students are traumatized and will only be comfortable to be back in class if prayers are held to exorcise the evil spirits. They should also be counselled properly,” said another parent.

Food analysis

The school was closed on Wednesday but form four candidates were retained as they are preparing for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education  (KCSE) examinations.

Affected students are incoherent in their speech, are unable to walk properly and complain of headache and abdominal pains.

Public health officers continued to pitch camp at the institution yesterday while analysing the foodstuff and water.

Ikolomani MP Benard Shinali called for speedy investigations to diagnose the cause of the illness.

“This health crisis has come as a shock especially at such a time when our students are preparing for end-year and KCSE exams. I urge the medical experts to get to the root of this matter,” he said.

The school Principal Jackline Itubo said they were working round the clock to establish the truth and be ready for reopening from Monday.

“We have always done our best to ensure that our girls learn and stay in a conducive environment. This has, thus, come as a shock but we trust that the experts will unravel the mystery and a lasting solution found,” she added.