What Should Be Done to Reduce Accidents Involving School Children-Reuben Kigame
Jenga Mkenya Movement party leader Reuben Kigame now wants schools to postpone trips until there is a proper report on the safety of school transport.
This comes after six children from Mbihi Friends Girls High School died due to a road accident at Delamere, Naivasha.
“ We convey our heartfelt condolences to the families, schools, counties, and communities where these children come from. We would also like to pass our condolences to the families of the four people, including a student, who died, and four others were injured after the bus they were traveling in from Kisumu plunged into a ditch in Mau Summit,” he said.
He noted that it’s sad the two incidents happened in less than a month after 16 people, including students, to another accident where a Pwani University bus collided with a 14-seater minibus on the Nakuru-Naivasha highway.
15 students have been lost due to road accidents in two months alone. In this regard, we recommend the following measures to the Government and other stakeholders.
“To reduce these accidents all schools in Kenya should postpone all planned trips until we have a proper report on the safety of school transport, the said spots where the accidents occurred (Nakuru-Naivasha Highway) be considered black spots and speed controls to be affected immediately,” said Kigame.
He noted that drivers who ferry students should be properly trained regularly, vetted to ensure competence and mental stability, and must be free from drug abuse, among other measures.
“The Government through the Ministry of Education and other education agencies should take care of the hospital bills as well as mortuary fees for the affected families. It has barely been two weeks since four lives in Mukumu Girls High School were lost due to water contamination. The Government must come up with a long-term solution to the issue of food and water contamination in our schools,” he added.
Concerning the School fires recent incident at The University of Kabianga where students’ property of unknown value was razed down in a hostel Kigame said he is gravely concerned about the general safety of our children in their institutions of learning.
“These children are made in the image of God, fearfully and wonderfully, and maximum care and protection should be taken when they are in school, and when they are on the roads. The UNICEF Convention on the Rights of the Child states, in part, that, “Every child has the right to be alive. Governments must make sure that children survive and develop in the best possible way.” He said.
He said that the behavior of drivers, Boda Boda, and other motorists towards children should be driven by religious and African values that promote their care and safety.
“A country that does not protect the lives of its children cannot thrive. We call upon all Kenyans of goodwill to join us in the fight for the rights and safety of our children. It will take our collective efforts individually and as communities to change the trajectory of this great country for the bright future of our children,” he said.
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