Magereza Academy Students Arrested Over Dormitory Fire That Forced School Closure

Police arrested four Magereza Academy students on Wednesday evening after CCTV footage linked them to a dormitory fire that razed part of the school and forced its indefinite closure.

The fire broke out on Wednesday morning and destroyed a section of the dormitory in Naivasha, Nakuru County, forcing the school board to send more than 800 pupils home.

The board said it closed the institution indefinitely to allow uninterrupted investigations and to carry out repairs because limited dormitory units made it unsafe for students to remain on campus.

Pupil Arrests in Dormitory Fire Investigation

Lawrence Mogaka, chairman of the Parents Association, said investigators detained the four pupils after reviewing footage that placed them at the scene during the inferno.

“The four pupils were arrested after CCTV footage implicated them at the scene of the accident during the inferno,” Mogaka said.

He added that the boys would assist DCI officers who camped at the school early Wednesday morning with details of what transpired.

Mogaka confirmed that all students were attending evening classes when the fire started, but a few sustained minor injuries while trying to rescue their belongings.

He said the school would rely on the arrested students to clarify how the fire started and why it spread so quickly through the affected section.

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Dormitory Fire and Parental Concerns

Parents criticized the administration’s handling of the incident and warned against passing the cost of repairs to families.

Hanny Munyiri, a guardian, said the administration should not use the situation to demand more funds from parents who were already burdened.

“They should seek alternative funding to rebuild the dormitory in earnest and allow the pupils to resume learning,” Munyiri said.

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He also questioned why the school sent all students home, arguing that the suspects should shoulder the full responsibility for the inferno.

Another parent, Wilson Njenga, claimed this was not the first dormitory fire at the school and accused the administration of failing to communicate the previous incident to parents.

Njenga said parents should not be forced to pay more fees to rebuild the facility.

The school has not issued a statement on the timeline for reopening.

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Police arrested four Mageraza Academy students on the evening of May 13, 2026. PHOTO/File