KENYA: Bishops in Kenya Condole with a School in Kakamega After Pupils Killed in Stampede
Following the death of 14pupils of Kakamega Primary School who died on Monday, February 3, due to stampede while the children were in school, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has sent their message of solidarity to condole with the school, parents’ children and stakeholders during this moment of sorrow.
“We, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), are deeply aggrieved by the demise of 14 children due to stampede in Kakamega DEB Primary school in Kakamega County,” The Bishops stated in a statement issued Friday, February 7 and added, “Life is a precious gift from God that all of us have a moral duty to nurture and protect. Our hearts are filled with sadness that 14 young lives were lost in the stampede at Kakamega Primary School.”
“Moved with deep sorrow, we send our condolence to the families of the deceased children… We also want to condole with the entire school fraternity, the pupils and teachers who are in deep sorrow due to this tragedy,” the Bishops expressed.
The cause of stampede which is still not yet known, has led to a temporal closure of the school till next week Monday to allow for a probe into the matter.
Besides those who lost their lives, dozens of other children were injured and are receiving treatment at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital.
“We continue to pray for those children in hospital that the good God will heal them and restore them to good health. We pray for their families that they receive graces of courage and strength to support these children to full recovery,” the prelates said in their joint statement.
Asking for Gods intervention during this sad moment for the school, the parents and the children, the Church leaders said, “We pray with you as you grieve the sudden death of your loved children. In our faith, we trust that the children are in heaven in the presence of God and have got full life and joy with Him. They are in the safe company of the holy innocents.”
They added as they pray for the pupils “We know this is hard to take, but we pray to God to give you the strength as you mourn your friends and the courage to return to class hoping and trusting in God’s protection.”
The Bishops also appealed to those in charge of school administration to be mindful of the children and “in their powers to ensure children are not exposed to mental, emotional or physical risks.”
On his part as the Local Ordinary of Kenya’s Kakamega Diocese where the tragic death took place, Bishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe has asked for more protection to children by having safety measures in place to safeguard the children.
“As we mourn the 14 victims of the stampede, we also pray for quick recovery of those children in hospital and pray for courage of their families. We learn more and more that children are a precious gift from God that must be nurtured, protected and cherished, for it is from them that we have a nation and a Church.”
He added, “We note with renewed commitment that their safety anywhere is important. It is in this light that we urge all stakeholders and partners to pay attention to those safety measures necessary to ensure a conducive and safe learning environment… this may be a wakeup call for all of us to be proactive and attentive to issues that can cause damage.”
“Be assured of our prayers and moral support,” the Bishops concluded,
The bodies of the pupils who died were received today Friday, February 7, at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega for a funeral mass conducted by different denominations.
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
