A distraught father on Wednesday morning narrated the final painful moments he shared with his son, a KCSE candidate, moments before he died on Monday, November 11.
Speaking on Citizen TV, David Ng'eno gave a detailed description of the events leading up to the death of his son Victor Kiptoo Ng'eno right after completing the Chemistry paper 3.
"Before dying, he was breathing fast, then he began experiencing difficulty in breathing. In his final moments, he kept saying "Dear Lord do not desert me, father do not leave me alone," a sorrowful Ng'eno recalled.
The 18-year-old Form Four student at Barina Secondary School in Rongai, Nakuru County was among those reportedly affected by a chemical identified as xylene used in the Chemistry practical exam on Friday, November 8.
According to his father, Victor who had been in good health had developed complications after that Chemistry examination, however, it was not determined whether the chemical actually led to his death.
"When he returned from the exam, he said he felt fatigued. During supper, he barely ate and ended up throwing up the little he had eaten. The following morning he said he felt weak, I told him to continue using Ascorin that I had purchased. He had suffered a little bit of pneumonia earlier in the month," his father narrated.
On Monday 11, the concerned father accompanied his son to school on Monday where he explained to the school principal of what had befallen the KCSE candidate.
Victor was taken to the school dispensary where he was given an injection and medication. He was then taken to another hospital that referred him to Mogotio for laboratory tests.
His son however succumbed on Monday night before he could go through the tests.
"When Victor died, we called the Principal who started crying and switched off his phone," Ng'eno recalled.
The post-mortem examination to determine the cause of his death was set for Friday, November 15. The family was, however, unable to foot the required costs and appealed to Kenyans for donations.
Reports on various publications had indicated that several students and teachers had been hospitalised over the same, with one student from St Peters Kajulu Secondary nursing injuries after the chemical reportedly exploded on her face.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) confirmed that the examiners and students were taken ill after they inhaled Xylene.
However, on Monday, November 11, the Education CS George Magoha disputed reports that the chemical had affected candidates.
“I can tell you without any fear that what you are seeing on social media is rubbish. No student has been affected by the chemical,” Magoha affirmed.
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