Schools in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu reopen after one-day closure over demos
Learners in all day primary and secondary schools in Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa counties will report back to school on Thursday after the government announced the re-opening of these institutions.
Schools in these three counties remained closed on Wednesday following a government directive as the opposition supporters protested across the country.
The government announced the closure of schools on Tuesday evening to ensure the safety of learners.
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However, in a statement on Wednesday evening, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and his counterpart in the Interior Ministry, Prof Kithure Kindiki, said the situation has been re-assessed and it is now safe to re-open the schools.
“The government has now undertaken an evaluation of the current security situation in various parts of the counties, including in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu Counties. The relevant security agencies have established that the security situation in these three counties, and in other parts of the country, has been restored to normal,” a statement sent to newsrooms reads.
“On the basis of the evaluation, it is hereby directed that all day primary and secondary schools in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu Counties re-open for normal school, activities on July 20, 2023,” the statement further reads.
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While announcing the closure on Tuesday, Prof Kindiki said the government had received credible security intelligence that criminal elements were planning to unleash terror and violence on the public by engaging in armed skirmishes with security agencies around certain schools in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
Prof Kindiki also said the Ministry of Education would announce the resumption of learning in the institutions upon assessment of the security situation.
During the protests on Wednesday, Azimio la Umoja supporters battled police officers for the better part of the day in what is the commencement of three days of protests by the opposition. Azimio la Umoja has maintained that the protests will continue until Friday.
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