Litein Boys closed indefinitely after night of massive destruction
By K24 Digital Reporter and Paulette Mboga, September 22, 2025Litein Boys High School in Kericho County has been closed indefinitely after students went on a violent rampage on Sunday night, September 21, 2025, destroying property of unknown value.
The night of chaos left the administration block, science and computer laboratories in flames. The principal’s office was not spared.
This is the third time the school has been hit by unrest. Just last term, students staged a strike protesting uncooked rice. Stakeholders now fear that the recurring violence points to deeper underlying issues within the institution’s management and student body.
According to reports, the students were dissatisfied with the leadership of Principal Richard Sang and his deputy, whom they accused of poor administration. The unrest has sparked calls for accountability and a thorough investigation into the frequent disruptions.
This comes days after St. George’s Girls Secondary School in Nairobi was also closed indefinitely following a night of student protests over claims of rampant corporal punishment.
Stakeholders demand action
Former Bureti MP Franklin Bett expressed shock at the extent of the destruction, noting that more than KSh18 million had been spent on the administration block through both government allocation and parental contributions.
“The level of destruction visited on this school by students who directly benefit from it is beyond comprehension. The government should immediately set up an independent team to investigate, because it appears a third force could be at play,” Bett said.
The Litein Boys Alumni Association condemned the unrest, warning that repeated strikes have eroded the school’s former reputation as a national academic giant.
They urged the Board of Management to make urgent arrangements for Form Four candidates to return and prepare for the upcoming KCSE examinations. Parents have been advised to pick up their children as the institution undertakes repairs and consults with the stakeholders to resolve underlying grievances.
The unrest is suspected to have been triggered by dissatisfaction over school management decisions, though authorities have yet to confirm the exact cause. The closure comes just weeks before the start of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
Meanwhile, the police have come under sharp criticism for their delayed response. According to Samuel Koros, an alumnus and neighbour of the school, officers arrived but remained outside the gates as the rampage unfolded.
“From what we gathered from the principal, he had informed security agencies of the impending strike beforehand. But when the unrest broke out, the officers stayed outside, saying they were waiting for instructions from above,” Koros said.