A dormitory at Cheptenye Boys High School in Kericho County was destroyed by a fire on Thursday afternoon, leaving over 100 students stranded. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the mysterious blaze, which occurred while students were in lessons, with no injuries reported.

• The fire at Cheptenye Boys High School is believed to have started around 2 p.m.
• The incident at Cheptenye Boys has raised concerns about frequent school fires across Kenya.
• Just last week, a dormitory fire at Otieno Oyoo Secondary School in Kisumu County injured at least one student.

A significant drug bust in Homa Bay County has uncovered a drug cartel targeting university students after authorities seized bhang worth Sh5 million from student hostels. This operation, led by NACADA, is part of a wider crackdown on drug abuse in educational institutions across Kenya.

• Bhang valued at Sh5 million and cigarettes worth Sh100,000 were recovered.
• Two suspects were arrested during the multi-agency raid at Jaacf Kodongo Estate.
• NACADA CEO Anthony Omerikwa highlighted that over 30% of university students admit to cannabis use, with access to narcotics near campuses significantly increasing in the past three years.

A new report by the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) reveals that the vast majority of Kenyan schools are exposed to significant risks due to a severe lack of non-motor insurance coverage. This puts millions of students, teachers, and critical infrastructure in peril, with only a small fraction of schools adequately insured against common disasters.

• Over 85% of primary and secondary schools in Kenya lack non-motor insurance, meaning only 6,784 out of 46,322 registered schools had coverage by the end of 2023.
• The AKI report highlights common uninsured risks such as fire, burglary, personal accidents, and public liability, with financial constraints and a lack of regulatory requirements cited as major barriers.
• Most schools also lack basic safety infrastructure like fire extinguishers and proper asset registers, making risk assessment difficult for insurers, while many administrators operate under the false assumption that external aid will cover disaster costs.