By Kwale Press Club Team
A heavy cloud of grief hangs over Mkwawani Village in Kwale County as family, relatives and neighbours struggle to come to terms with the painful loss of 17-year-old Zuhra Rama Higa, one of the students who perished in the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy.
Two days after the devastating incident, silence dominates the family’s homestead.
Mourners sit quietly under the shade and tent, their faces marked by sorrow and disbelief.
Relatives recount memories of a young girl, form three student, whose bright future was abruptly cut short.
Her mother, Asha Omar Mazuri, says the family is still struggling to accept that Zuhra is no more.
Fighting back tears, she recalls the last conversations she had with her daughter before tragedy struck.
On Tuesday, Zuhra called her mother and shared that she was feeling tense.
Although concerned, Asha encouraged her daughter to remain focused and assured her that everything would be alright.
“She said she was feeling some tension, I told her to stay strong and concentrate on her studies because the father was taking care of her education and other needs” said Asha.
The following day, Wednesday, mother and daughter spoke again. This time the conversation was warm and cordial.
Asha says Zuhra appeared calm and in good spirits. She even expressed a desire to speak with other family members.
“She wanted to talk to everyone at home but this time round she did not express any tension,” she said holding her tears back.
Asha Omar (Center) mother to Zuhra Ram during an interview at their Mkwakwani home
For the family, the loss is not only emotional but also the shattering of dreams they had carefully nurtured for years.
According to the family, Zuhra was an exceptional student who consistently excelled in her studies.
The mother says she was bright and they had high hopes in her as she dreamt of becoming a neurosurgeon.
Her determination and academic excellence had convinced many that she would one day achieve that goal.
“She was an A student. She always talked about becoming a neurosurgeon. She was disciplined, very cooperative and focused,” said the mother.
As the family mourns, they are also demanding answers.
They want a thorough investigation into the fire and insist that anyone whose negligence contributed to the deaths of the students must be held accountable.
“We want justice for our daughter and the other children who died. If there were people who failed in their responsibilities to ensure the safety of these students, the law must take its course,” said Asha.
The family is also appealing to the government to expedite the identification and release of the victims’ bodies to allow families to perform burial rites and begin the healing process.
In accordance with Islamic teachings, they hope to bury Zuhra as soon as possible and finally give her a dignified farewell.
Her uncle, Higa Hasibu, said the prolonged wait is deepening the family’s pain.
“We pray that the process is completed quickly so that we can lay her to rest at home,” he said.
Hasibu added that the family would prefer individual identification and burial of their loved one rather than any arrangement that would deny families the opportunity to bury their kin according to their traditions and wishes.
The tragedy has also reignited concerns about safety standards in learning institutions.
Family members are urging authorities to take school safety more seriously and implement preventive measures to ensure such incidents never happen again.
