Kisii fuel stations banned from selling petrol to children

Kisii County Commissioner Kula Hache at a past event. The county security committee has banned the selling of petrol to children. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The county has recorded 26 incidents of arson in schools.
  • On Thursday, a fire razed to the ground a dormitory at Tabaka Boys Secondary in South Mugirango.
  • She warned students against burning school property, saying they would be arrested and prosecuted.

Fuel stations in Kisii County have been banned from selling petrol to children in a bid to stop arson in schools.

Kisii County Commissioner Kula Hache said the decision was reached at a county security committee meeting.

She said buyers who fail to produce their national identity cards at the selling points should be turned away.

“We have already sent out letters directing fuel stations not to sell petrol to anyone in a bottle or container,” said the county commissioner.

The county has recorded 26 incidents of arson in schools.

In the most recent incident, seven of 12 dormitories at Itierio Boys were destroyed by fire.

On Thursday, a fire razed a dormitory at Tabaka Boys Secondary in South Mugirango.

Ms Hache on Thursday said at least 85 students were in custody and 49 others were being sought over the arson attacks.

She warned students against burning school property, saying they would be arrested and prosecuted.

Kisii County criminal investigation officer Justus Borudi said investigations into the arson attacks had been undermined by interference with the crime scenes.

“We are not receiving adequate support from the communities near institutions or the workers themselves,” he said at a meeting held to discuss the burning of schools in the county.

National Disaster Management Unit (NMDU) director Pius Maasai also attended the meeting.

“The NMDU is here to ensure that we partner with all the stakeholders to ensure that we come with solutions to stop the fires and to ensure that those responsible for torching the schools are prosecuted,” he said.

(Editing by Beatrice Obwocha and Henry Gekonde)