This has now become a worrying trend. In the last few days alone, dozens of High Schools in Kenya have gone on strike across the country. In Nairobi alone, these include Lenana School, Nairobi School, Sunshine Secondary School, Jamhuri High School, Aquinas High School among others. In Upper Hill School, one student died when the dormitory was set ablaze. The strikes have been blamed on several factors including fears that this year's mock exams will add to their final KCSE grade with others even bringing a theory on devil worship in schools. In most cases, the students are setting their dorms ablaze. Even the private schools have not been spared either. Hundreds of students have also been arrested and are facing charges.

Look at what The Standard is reporting. The new dimension linking devil worship to the wave of violence and destruction was introduced by a senior principal of the respected national school Mary Hill Girls in Thika, Sister Elizabeth Nziwa. She claimed that devil worship was partially to blame for the unrest in schools. Contributing during a principals’ meeting convened by Thika DC John Litunda, Nziwa claimed that a student had confessed to her of a network of devil worship agents in many schools, some of which have been hit by the unrest. "We are dealing with a complex problem which requires divine intervention and prayers. This is a spiritual war against the devil’s agents. "This issue is spiritual and not just fear of exams as has been touted," she said.

Here is another exerpt. In the city, destruction was averted at Nairobi School where three boys were arrested in the dead of night with jerricans of petrol. They confessed to the police that they had been sent by schoolmates to buy petrol to burn the school. At private school Le Verne Boys High in Nairobi, three boys were arrested with petrol with which they planned to burn dormitories. As though reading from a similar script, boys at Nairobi’s Sunshine Secondary, another private school, became restless and refused to eat or attend classes. The management had little choice but to close the school and order the boys to leave. At the prestigious Kenya High, another national institution, panicky parents rushed to pick their children after a rumour that tension was high. However, a teacher at the school said there was "no cause for alarm".

We may also add to the debate and point out that it may also be peer pressure. Check this out. Nandi’s Moi Boys High Sirgoi also joined the list of schools closed in the Rift Valley following unrest. The boys had just had supper and watched TV news (of course they saw other school riots) when, without warning, they went on the rampage, smashing dining hall and classroom windows. (Stories and pics courtesy of The Standard and the new look Daily Nation website)

UPDATE: Check out what gospel artists Juliani, Esther Wahome, Michelle, Daddy Owen and M.O.G had to say about school unrest in the Buzz issue page 5. Read the full issue here

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