Shock as Muk*mu Girls students die of ‘cholera’

Two students have died of what is suspected to be cholera at the Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega county.

In a statement, the school principal Fridah Nodlo confirmed the two died at their homes in Bungoma and Kakamega counties.

“Let us pray for our students and Mukumu community. If we take a child home for treatment, let us take them to hospital and monitor. We have lost two students, Wendy Oyugi Amani who passed on in Bungoma and Miriam Namajanja, who had not resumed from half-term break, passed on this morning at their home in Navakholo. God give us grace and wisdom to go through this trying moment,” said
the principal.

The statement came as Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale led other leaders from the county in demanding action against the school administration over the disease outbreak at the institution.

Frail condition
Over 100 students from the school were hospitalised last week after complaining of abdominal pains.
More than 20 parents have picked sick daughters while over 30 are still fighting for their lives at St Elizabeth’s Mukumu Mission, Kakamega Referral and some private hospitals.

Others are back in school but in frail condition amid pressure that they be allowed
to return home.

Khalwale yesterday said the school administration should take full responsibility
for the situation.

“I have visited the students admitted at Mukumu and Kakamega hospitals and they all have symptoms of food poisoning. We demand to know how poison made its way to their food or water,” he said.

The school administration has declined to release medical examination results of the affected students. This is not the first time that such an incident is happening at the institution with leaders wondering why the government is not taking any action against the management.

Shinyalu MP Fred Ikana, in whose constituency the school is situated, said they would abide by recommendations of the public health officers who are investigating the situation.

Last year

“We will ensure our students are safe even if it means closing the school for a while. We shall go by the recommendations of the experts,” the MP said when he visited the institution on Saturday evening.

Many are wondering why Mukumu Girls is the only school that is affected in the locality. A similar incident happened last year.

“Mukumu Girls is literally shut from the public and no one dares talk about the goings-on in there. Anyone who dares speak out is branded an enemy,” said a parent, who sought anonymity.

He added: “There are so many bad things happening in that school. For instance, if a girl is found to be pregnant, she is arrested and handed over to the police who lock her in cells from where they are picked by their parents or guardians,” said another.