I’m speechless!: Bien mourns Utumishi Girls fire victims in emotional message

Kenyan musician and Sauti Sol member Bien-Aimé Baraza has joined Kenyans in mourning the students who lost their lives following the tragic dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County.

In a statement shared via his Instagram Stories on Thursday, May 28, 2026,  Bien expressed pain and sympathy for the grieving families, saying the heartbreaking incident had left him speechless. Like many Kenyans, the singer admitted that imagining the pain parents are currently going through is almost impossible.

“My heartfelt condolences to the families of the girls at Utumishi Girls. I’m speechless. May God stand in the gap for them. I can’t imagine the pain they’re going through right now,” Bien stated.

The deadly fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning at Utumishi Girls Academy, a tragedy that has since shaken the entire country. According to government officials and emergency responders, at least 16 students died in the inferno while 79 others sustained injuries, some of them serious. Reports indicate that the fire started shortly after midnight in one of the dormitories as students slept.

Witness accounts and preliminary investigations paint a terrifying picture of confusion, smoke, screams and desperate attempts to escape. Some students reportedly jumped through windows after flames and thick smoke trapped them inside the building. Several survivors were rushed to nearby hospitals while distraught parents streamed to the school grounds searching for their children, hoping for good news in the middle of unimaginable fear.

As investigations continue, detectives have arrested several students in connection with the incident. Authorities believe the fire may have been caused intentionally, with early reports pointing to suspected arson. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations confirmed that several learners are currently in custody as officers continue piecing together what exactly happened before the deadly blaze erupted.

The tragedy has once again reopened painful conversations about safety in Kenyan boarding schools. Over the years, the country has witnessed repeated dormitory fires that have claimed the lives of students, despite numerous promises and recommendations aimed at improving safety standards.