Education CS Ezekiel Machogu appears before Senate Education Committee on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
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Ministry of Education
Education Cabinet for Education, Ezekiel Machogu, on Saturday, April 15, made a raft of changes at Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega County.
Machogu, who visited the institution, transferred the School Principal, Frida Ndolo, noting that the government was still investigating the incident that led to the death of three students and one teacher.
The Principal was replaced by Jane Mmbone, who will serve in the same capacity for the foreseeable future.
Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu (Left) and Kakamega County Governor Fernandes Barasa (Right) during his visit to Mukumu Girls High School.
Photo/Ministry of Education
Mmbone previously served as the Principal of Shikoti High Schoo, also in Kakamega County.
The Education Cabinet Secretary also dissolved the Board of Management and promised to appoint new members.
Machogu's decision to transfer Principal Fridah Ndolo was immediately questioned by a section of Kenyans who felt like such powers were a preserve of the Teachers Service Commission.
The Teachers Service Commission Act 2012 bestows the power to hire, transfer or fire a teacher upon the body, not the Cabinet Secretary.
However, by Law, Cabinet Secretary for Education is allowed to proclaim a teacher's transfer.
To address the technicality, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will most likely write to Principal Fridah, formally informing her of the transfer.
Fridah's transfer was also discussed during a meeting with Kakamega County Governor Fernandes Baraza during Machogu's visit.
Machogu paid a courtesy to Governor Barasa and Western Regional Commissioner Samson Irungu, where he held a brief meeting on the outbreak of a disease in the county.
On Friday, April 14, the Ministry of Health noted that the mysterious disease which led to the death of three students and a teacher at Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega County was caused by the consumption of contaminated water.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale (centre) tours the Sacred Heart High School Mukumu on Friday, March 31, 2023.
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Boni Khalwale
Acting Director of Health Services Patrick Amoth stated that test results showed traces of bacteria - Enterotoxigenic E. coli and Salmonella typhi.
"We wish to inform the general public that this disease is likely a mixture of E. coli and Salmonella typhi which usually occurs if water sources are contaminated with these micro-organisms.
"The diseases have a high potential of person-to-person spread, especially in congregated settings where people live and eat in close proximity," read the statement in part.
