Laikipia East Member of Parliament Mwangi Kiunjuri has accused his political rivals for peddling rumors that he is the father of the girl behind the fatal fire at Moi Girls High School that led to the deaths of 10 students.
The MP had been the topic of discussion online after a narrative emerged that the convicted teen was his daughter, and that there was a possibility that he was aiding her release despite being slapped with a five-year sentence in February 2022.
Kiunjuri came out to dismiss those claims, terming the reports as false and disingenuous, calling out his political rivals for maliciously peddling the narrative to attack him.
“Let it be known to all the perpetrators of this reckless, insensitive and inhumane falsehood that I have NEVER had a daughter or a relative at Moi Nairobi Girls,” he wrote on his X account.
“Unfortunately, some reckless individuals have decided to score whatever points by regurgitating this falsehood without any due consideration to the parents and relatives who lost loved ones in the incident and the fresh wounds they may still have,” he noted.
The legislator added that the identity of the parents of the convicted teen was already public, asking those who needed their personal information to visit the school instead of spreading misinformation online.
The tough-taking parliamentarian lamented that the individuals behind the rumors did more harm than good rehashing the tragedy without considering the feelings affected families.
“My heart goes out to the parents who lost their children in this unfortunate incident and whose scars continue to be opened afresh each time in the name of people politicking,” he said.
The 2017 fire was caused by the convict identified as T.W.G who was 14 years old at the time, setting ablaze the Kabarnet dormitory where 10 students who had returned to school from holiday lost tier lives and scores sustaining injuries.
Upon further investigation into her motive, it was established that she disliked the school and was retaliating against her parents who had declined to transfer her.
Justice Stella Mutuku while handing her sentence noted that despite being a minor, the girl’s offences were severe and she had to be held accountable for her actions.
