NAKURU, Kenya – Tension flared at Njoro Girls High School in Nakuru County on Monday after parents and local residents staged protests following the death of a Form Four student under circumstances that remain unclear.
The demonstrations briefly disrupted operations at the school, prompting police intervention as crowds gathered demanding accountability over the death of Brenda Akinyi, 18. Officers dispersed protesters to prevent escalation, witnesses said.
Brenda died while receiving treatment at the Nakuru Teaching and Referral Hospital, where she had been rushed after reportedly falling ill at school.
Her family has accused the school administration of negligence and delayed medical response, claiming they were not informed in time despite living a short distance from the institution.
Speaking to journalists, Brenda’s brother Allan Otieno said the family was later told that his sister had been unwell for several days but was only given painkillers.
“We live very close to the school. If we had been informed earlier, we could have taken her to hospital immediately,” he said, questioning why the family was not alerted sooner.
At the family home, Brenda’s mother Millicent Anyango expressed anguish, saying she only learned of the seriousness of her daughter’s condition when it was already too late.
Some parents who joined the protests alleged that Brenda’s death was not an isolated incident, claiming that other students at the school had previously died after falling ill.
They called for an independent investigation into how the school handles medical emergencies involving students.
However, the Nakuru County Director of Education dismissed accusations of negligence, saying preliminary records suggest the student had a history of illness.
Education officials maintained that established procedures were followed and assured the public that investigations would be conducted to establish the facts.
An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday to determine the exact cause of death as inquiries continue into the events leading up to Brenda’s illness and subsequent death.
