Protests at Mokomoni secondary school have elicited both positive and negative reactions from parents and locals after students from the School in Kenyenya Sub-county, Kisii, protested the headteacher over the weekend. Students matched for over 10 kilometers to the Kenyenya Sub-county Director of Education’s office in protest against their Principal, Ezra Ombaso, raising concern over safety and the right procedure in addressing their issues.
The protest began on Sunday, July 7, with students chanting slogans against the principal, accusing him of mismanaging the school. They paraded along the busy Magenche-Kenyenya road, mixed with cattle traders on the market day, and caused widespread disruptions.
Their actions were, however, condemned by parents led by Joseph Miruka, citing the dangers of teens—particularly girls—walking for such long distances without supervision.
“It’s dangerous for our teens, our children, especially girls, to leave school in the name of protests during the weekend when their problems could have been solved amicably at school,” said Miruka.
The parents, led by Miruka, urged the students to embrace dialogue instead of protests, as much as possible, since violence often leads to unnecessary destruction.
“Whenever they feel offended, they should seek dialogue because violence leads to regrettable destruction,” he added.
Students who wanted to air their grievances, found that an officer from the Kenyenya education director’s office was absent since it was a weekend. There ensued a standoff at Kenyenya sports ground between students and locals infuriated with the demonstrations, who threatened to attack them. This ended in the retreat of the students back to their school without relenting to talk about their grief to any other person but the Director of Education.
“Our problems are many, even if we tell you cannot count them,” shouted one student.
Efforts to reach Principal Ezra Ombaso were unsuccessful since he did not respond to phone calls. The Director of Education Kenyenya, George Ouma, has assured that his officers were investigating cause of the unrest.
“I appeal to the students to obey their teachers and return to class,” said Ouma.