Kakamega stampede: Families receive money from well-wishers
Religious leaders, pupils and parents of Kakamega primary School during an interdenominational cleansing ceremony following the deaths of learners in a stampede, on February 10, 2020. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Parents of pupils who were injured get Sh50,000 each from Governor Oparanya.
- The money was part of the Sh6 million contributed during the requiem mass at Bukhungu Stadium.
Families of the 15 pupils who died in a stampede at Kakamega Primary School on February 3 have received Sh200,000 each from the county government.
Parents of the seven pupils who sustained serious injuries received Sh50,000 each.
The money was part of the Sh6 million contributed during the requiem mass at Bukhungu Stadium.
This came as 46 pupils recorded statements with detectives.
Police said 15 other pupils who sustained injuries will be issued with P3 Forms to be filled in by doctors.
The money is meant to help settle expenses the families incurred as they prepared to bury their loved ones.
FUNERAL EXPENSES
“No amount of money can replace the loss of your loved ones. This is a little help from well-wishers,” said Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
The national government donated Sh1.4 million through County Commissioner Pauline Dolla.
The Council of Governors (CoG) contributed Sh2 million while the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers gave out Sh400,000.
Mr Oparanya said the families had earlier received Sh100,000 each while Sh24,000 was used to settle transport costs.
“Each family had earlier received Sh76,000 for funeral arrangements,” he said. They also received foodstuffs from the national government.
The county government spent Sh1.2 million to settle hospital bills for the 39 children who were injured. Two of the pupils were admitted to Kakamega County General and Referral Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
One of them, Salma Oleso Bilal, died a day after she was discharged from the ICU.
Kakamega Primary headteacher Dickson Wanyangu said the school was yet to recover from the incident.
DIFFICULT PERIOD
“It’s been a difficult period for our community. Things haven’t been the same since the tragedy occurred,” he said at the county offices.
Earlier, Western region Criminal Investigations Officer Shem Nyamboki said detectives were finalising investigations.
“We are prepared to proceed with the matter depending on what the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will recommend,” said Mr Nyamboki. They have recorded statements from 16 teachers.
Parents of the 15 pupils from Grade Four and Five who died in the incident have urged police to make their findings public.
The chairperson of the Commission on Administrative Justice, Florence Kajuju, visited the school and faulted the manner in which the staircases on both ends of the building were constructed.
The commission wants the affected parents to be compensated for the loss of their children.
