Ruto Declares Three Days of National Mourning .
Ruto Declares Three Days of National Mourning : President William Ruto has announced a three-day period of national mourning following the sad tragedy that claimed the lives of 18 students of Hillside Endarasha Academy on Friday.
The period of mourning will start on Monday, September 9, and conclude on Wednesday, September 11.
He stated, “As a solemn testament to the indelible mark left upon the nation’s consciousness by the spirits of the eighteen departed children, Kenya shall observe a three-day period of national mourning.”
During this time, the flags of Kenya and the East African Community (EAC) be flown at half-mast. This directive extends to the State House, all Kenyan diplomatic missions, public buildings, public grounds, military bases, naval vessels, and across the entire country, from dawn on Monday until sunset on Wednesday.
The search for missing students continues as the government and humanitarian agencies work together to account for those affected by the catastrophic inferno at the school in Nyeri.
The blaze, which engulfed the school’s dormitory in the early hours of Friday, has raised urgent questions as families and authorities grapple with the aftermath.
According to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, 70 students are still unaccounted for. This figure does not necessarily indicate casualties but includes students who might have been taken home by their parents or remain lost amidst the chaos.
“We still cannot account for 70 pupils,” Gachagua stated. I am appealing to each and every parent who took their child to report to us so that we know where those children are,” he emphasised.
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