Kenya has charged 10 university students in connection with a dormitory fire that claimed the lives of 14 people last week. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the country and prompted an offer of forensic assistance from the British government, which the Kenyan authorities have accepted.
The students, all male and aged between 19 and 25, face counts of murder and arson after what police describe as a late-night altercation escalated into a blaze that tore through a residential block at the University of Nairobi’s main campus. The fire broke out shortly after midnight, trapping many victims in their rooms. Emergency services arrived within minutes, but the flames had already consumed the building’s wooden structure.
Survivors have told reporters that the fire followed a dispute between two student groups. Police Commissioner Joseph Njoroge confirmed that investigators recovered traces of accelerant at the scene. “This was no accident. Evidence points to a deliberate act,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday. The 10 suspects are due to appear in court later this week, though a date has not yet been set.
The British High Commission in Nairobi announced on Wednesday that a team of forensic experts would travel to Kenya to support the investigation. High Commissioner Margaret Taylor said the offer was made in direct response to a request from President William Ruto’s government. “The United Kingdom stands with Kenya in its grief. Our forensic specialists will assist in evidence collection and analysis,” she said. The team is expected to arrive within 48 hours.
For the families of the victims, the charges offer little comfort. Mary Akinyi, whose daughter Margaret was among those killed, told me she felt “numb.” “They say they have caught the boys who did this. But my child is never coming back. I want to know why they did it. What could be so important?” she said, her voice cracking.
The university has been closed indefinitely. Students have been told to vacate halls of residence as officials conduct safety inspections. Many have criticised the institution for what they describe as lax fire safety measures. Student leader James Okoth claimed that fire extinguishers on the affected floor were empty and that the building lacked a functioning alarm system. “We have been ignored for years. Now we have bodies,” he said.
The tragedy has reignited a national debate on student welfare in Kenya’s public universities, which have faced chronic underfunding and overcrowding. The government has promised a full inquiry but has not yet announced a timeline for its findings.
As Kenya mourns, the 10 suspects remain in custody. Their swift charging reflects the pressure on authorities to deliver justice, but for the grieving parents, that justice cannot undo the loss. One father, who asked not to be named, simply said: “I want to look them in the eye. Then maybe I can begin to understand.”
