Uproar after 17-year-old Maranda High School student dies on way home for fee arrears

The family of a 17-year-old Maranda High School student is dealing with the loss of their son who died in a car accident moments after he was sent home to collect Ksh.4,000 school fee balance.

Protus Mogaka was among 5 people who died when a matatu they had boarded collided head-on with a truck at Amabuko on the Kisii-Keroka road on Saturday night.

The family says the school management had not informed them that their son had been sent home over fee arrears.

The deceased’s father Isaac Mogaka said: “Alinipigia around 2pm akaniambia amefukuzwa kwa kukosa school fees ilibaki, nikamwambia nimpee simu niongee na mwalimu na akasema walifukuzwa na wakasema soldier afunge...nikamuuliza mbona mwalimu hakupiga ndio nitume fare au balance imebaki?”

Hours after Mogaka spoke to his son and sent him bus fare, a disturbing call would follow that Protus was among 5 people involved in a road accident, leaving them shattered.

“Kufika huko napata mtoto ako kwa mlango ya mortuary, kuangalia mtoto nikaskia nikama nimerukwa…maaskari wakanichukua,” said Mogaka.

The deceased’s parents say they received a message from his class teacher at 10pm on Saturday inquiring about their son’s whereabouts, long after the school had released the boy to go home and hours after the accident; the family says the school erred as they sent their child home during the weekend.

“Ilikuwa Ksh.4,000, sasa mimi nashangaa mbona wanatuma mtoto nyumbani juu ya Ksh.4,000 na saa hiyo fare ya kwenda nyumbani ni Ksh.3,000,” wonders Mogaka.

The body of the deceased lies at the Gucha Hospital Mortuary with funeral plans presently underway.