On Saturday night, a 14-seater matatu collided with a trailer while plying the Kisii-Keroka route. The matatu’s driver tried to avoid hitting a motorcyclist but instead rammed his vehicle into a trailer.
Protus Mogaka, a Form 3 student was among the five passengers who succumbed in the grisly carnage. The student was sent home from Maranda High School over pending fee arrears.
His father, Julius Mogaka, recalls receiving a call from an Unknown ID. The person on the line asked him to rush to Gucha Hospital and identify whether it was his son who was involved in an accident.
“It was at around 7 pm…When I got to Gucha, I found my son’s body abandoned near the mortuary gate, I became confused and started wailing,” he narrated.
Police stationed at the hospital put him at the back of their patrol vehicle since they didn’t like how he behaved.
“As we headed home after learning that there was nothing we could do, my son’s class teacher texted me asking whether the boy had arrived home,” he said.
Julius Mogaka narrated how Protus’ teacher casually asked whether the boy had arrived home, at around 10 pm.
“The teacher didn’t even call, he texted. How was he asking about my child, yet he had not informed me that he had sent him home?” Julius Mogaka complained.
Here is the text from the teacher:Â “Good evening, has Brotas (Protus) come home?”
“He later called after I texted him back that my son was dead. He told me that he had sent my son home for fees and was enquiring whether he arrived home.”
“I asked him how he sent my son home without informing me, and that he was now dead. He hung up the phone,” Mogaka added.
Mogaka’s family is demanding answers after the school took initiative to send the child away without informing the parents prior.
To add insult to injury, their son was sent home over Sh. 7,000 fee arrear, during the weekend and without alerting parents.
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The father of 3 recounted that Protus had just returned to school following his grandfather’s burial. Mogaka added that he had struggled to get money to pay fees, but managed to clear Sh. 30,000.
“You see that grave is still fresh. Because of my father’s burial and generally difficulties in getting money,” he said.
“He returned to school minus fees, but after two days, I sent Sh. 30,000 to the school. I had a balance of Sh. 7,000 from the previous term and I had endeavoured to reduce it by paying gradually.”
Now, their son is no longer with them. The family states that Maranda High School has been reckless with Protus’ life and should have followed the standard protocols.
Earlier this year, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu had directed that no learner should be sent home because of school fees.
“Even his fare home was a problem. Imagine a whole Sh. 1,500 was used for his transport from school. Why were they also sending students home on a weekend?” Protus’ aunt, Diana Kemuma complained.
