Ndogo Primary School In Nakuru Closed Indefinitely Following Tragic Death Of Siblings In Expanding Fissure

Ndogo Primary School in Nakuru remains closed as parents protest the presence of a deadly fissure that claimed two lives. Read about the Rift Valley geological threat.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 3:53 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Tuko.co.ke

Tragedy On School Grounds

A community in Jaika, Gilgil, is in mourning and protest following a fatal incident that has forced the closure of Ndogo Primary School. Although schools across Kenya officially reopened for the second term on Monday, January 27, the gates of Ndogo Primary remain shut. The closure follows the deaths of 13 year old Oscar Macharia and his 4 year old sister, Silvia Njeri, who fell into an open fissure within the school compound on April 11. A third child who was playing with the siblings at the time of the accident narrowly survived after being buried in sand up to the neck before being rescued by locals.

Expanding Geological Threats

The fissure responsible for the tragedy reportedly formed in 2024, a phenomenon scientists attribute to the loose volcanic soil characteristic of the Rift Valley region. Local residents have warned that these cracks are not static; they continue to expand with each rainy season. Beyond the immediate danger to the school, the fissure is reportedly nearing a main road and threatening to cut off access for families living on the opposite side of the crack. Residents expressed deep anxiety that without immediate engineering intervention, more structures and lives remain at risk as the ground continues to shift.

Parental Protest And Safety Concerns

Parents at the institution have launched a formal protest, vowing to keep their children at home until the government secures the site. While a temporary fence was erected by concerned guardians in 2025 to keep learners away from the high risk area, the recent fatalities have proven that these measures are insufficient. "There are no students in school because we are afraid," one parent stated, emphasizing that the danger becomes particularly acute during periods of heavy rain when the soil becomes even more unstable. The community is calling for a permanent solution, specifically the professional filling of the fissures to ensure the school is habitable.