Angry students protest death of teacher, torch home

Kalalu Secondary School students in Laikipia East set on fire a home where their teacher was drinking alcohol hours before he was found dead on Saturday morning.

Administration police officers were on Monday deployed to the area after reports went round that the students were planning to raid more homes near their school that sell alcohol as they mourned the teacher, Mr Vincent Gichohi, 46.

The teacher was found under a hedge within the compound of a home where he had been seen drinking on Friday evening.

He was teaching agriculture and biology and was the patron of the Christian Union club in the school before his death.

Police released the owner of the torched home whom they had arrested on Saturday as a prime suspect saying there was no evidence.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) official who toured the school on Monday gave the government a two-week ultimatum to take action on local administration and security officers for abetting trade of illicit brews in the area.

“The suspect arrested on Saturday morning was later released long before police completed investigations,” branch executive secretary Ndung’u Wangenye told journalists.

He said the county commissioner must take action against the area chiefs and police officers for turning a blind eye of illicit brew trade in the area.

The school principal Joseph Gachagua said the institution is surrounded by numerous alcohol selling dens which posed danger to learning.

He said appeals by the school’s board of directors to security officers to stamp out the trade had fallen on deaf ears.