Villagers raid school in Tharaka Nithi
Mukothima Girls Secondary school students run out of school with their belongings after at least 30 armed villagers stormed the institution and burnt property over land dispute on October 6, 2017. PHOTO | ALEX NJERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Learning has been paralysed at Mukothima Girls Secondary School in Tharaka-Nithi County after at least 30 armed villagers raided the institution and burnt property over land dispute.
The girls ran out of school and sought refuge at area chief’s camp, according to Mukothima Catholic Parish Father Eliud Mwenda.
“The girls are at Mukothima chief’s camp while others have gone home,” Fr Mwenda told the Nation on phone.
Some of the villagers who attacked Mukothima Girls Secondary School. PHOTO | ALEX NJERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
He said the men, who were armed with arrows and pangas burnt down four bathrooms, three toilets and a pig sty leaving ten pigs injured.
The attackers also vandalised the school’s water system destroying a 5,000 litre water tank.
He said there has been a land dispute between the villagers and the school for many years and that the case is pending in court.
A pig sty that was burnt by villagers at Muthokima Girls Secondary School. At least 10 pigs were injured. PHOTO | ALEX NJERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
“We have been living peacefully with the people as we wait for the court ruling of a case, in which they claim ownership of the land, until recently when they started issuing threats,” he said.
When reached for comment, Mukothima Chief Mucee Mpuria said he has been informed of the incident but he is not at the camp as he is attending a meeting elsewhere.
