Parents stage protests over sacking of principals

Parents and residents in two of the Kisii County schools affected by a recent wave of fires have united to protest plans by the Teachers Service Commission to post new principals to their schools.

At Suneka, the home of the ill-fated Itierio Boys High School, where seven dormitories were set on fire, protesters blocked traffic on the Kisii-Migori road by lighting tyres.

Police shot in the air several times and used teargas to disperse the protesters.

The residents were protesting the interdiction of Mr Andrew Otara, the school principal, by the Teachers Service Commission.

Several principals in schools affected by the fires across the country were also sent packing on Monday by the commission.

Similar protests also took place in Nyamache Boys, which also lost a dormitory to fire.

On Monday, mission sponsors of Itierio Boys, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, raised concern that they had not been consulted on the move by TSC.

South West Diocese head Bishop Thomas Asiago criticised the government for being rash and locking out consultations.

“Our principal is an exemplary administrator who took over the school when it had only 130 students. He has overseen the growth of the school since then to a population of over 1,000 students and cannot be let go of simply on the edict,” he said.

Area MCA John Ombati claimed that the interdiction of Mr Otara was intended to have him replaced with “an already earmarked principal”.

He singled out Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i for criticism, accusing him of having a hidden agenda towards the school management.

In Nyamache, demonstrators stormed the District Commissioner’s office. They later congregated at the school where they were addressed by the divisional police commander, Mr Japheth Mwirichia.

After lengthy negotiations with the officer, the parents dispersed vowing to block the newly posted principal from office.

Bobasi MP Stephen Manoti echoed the parents’ sentiments in a statement sent to newsrooms.

“We condemn the unprocedural removal of Nyamache Principal Phillip Ogechi. Any attempt to make leadership changes must be done with the involvement and support of all stakeholders,” he said.

Knut Kisii South branch Executive Secretary Geoffrey Mogire condemned the TSC move, saying the principals had been targeted unfairly for removal due to school unrest.

Meanwhile, one more school in Kericho County has gone up in flames after students of Lelu Secondary School in Kipkelion West burnt down a dormitory.

And in Narok, Shartuka Boys Secondary was closed indefinitely after students went on the rampage and destroyed property.