Friends School Mbale Closed Indefinitely After Students Riot Over Missed LaLiga Matches

Students of the Friends School Mbale, in Vihiga County, have been sent home indefinitely after they went on a rampage on Sunday night, destroying property of unknown value.

Reportedly, the chaos began when the students were denied permission to watch the LaLiga final day matches. Some students are said to have been injured in the skirmishes last night.

Images seen by Kenyans.co.ke show the aftermath of the riots, including broken glass windows and torn books strewn across the vandalised offices, classes, and food sto

Notably, the boys inflicted heavy damage on the Deputy Principal's offices, who could have made the decision to deny them the anticipated match.

Although the school has yet to make any statement on the issue, the Member of Parliament for Sabatia Constituency, Clement Sloya, condemned the riots in a statement, alleging that 11 students were injured in the pandemonium.

"I wish to condemn in the strongest terms possible the recent riot at Mbale Boys High School, which resulted in chaos, destruction, and injuries," he stated.

"Such acts of indiscipline and violence have no place in our learning institutions and must be denounced by all stakeholders in the education sector. Schools are meant to be safe spaces for learning, growth, and character development, not grounds for lawlessness and unrest."

While promising to see to it that a thorough and independent investigation is carried out immediately to ascertain the root cause of the unrest, he promised to hold those involved accountable.

"While disciplinary measures will be taken, we must also be open to understanding any legitimate concerns that may have fueled this unfortunate event," the MP stated.

He further commended the swift response by police officers from Kilingili, Chavakali, and Mbale police stations in quelling the riots, crediting their coordination for the resolution of the conflict.

As for the injured students, MP Sloya stated that they were promptly attended to and received medical care at the Vihiga County Referral Hospital (VCRH) under his tab.