Sombre mood was on Friday characterized at the memorial service for pupils from Precious Talent Top Primary School who succumbed after the collapse of a classroom.
Giving a tribute to her schoolmates, a seven-year-old girl moved the mourners including ODM leader Raila Odinga, as she affectionately expressed her sadness over the death of her peers.
In the memorial service, Abilasha Muthoni recited a heartfelt poem in honour of the eight pupils that left her shading tears.
“In one brief moment,” she said, “you slipped away into the next life. What a sad day in this country? You have left a void in your families, Precious Talents School, community and Kenya at large.”
“The fact that you will never laugh, joke or laugh and play again, makes it more painful,” the Grade 2 pupil stated.
“Though our hearts weigh heavily, we are all at peace, knowing that in God’s hearts you have rested. To the families, may God comfort you at this time. To the injured ones, I wish you a speedy recovery, shine on the way my late fellow students,” Abilasha mentioned amid tears as Nairobi Woman Rep Esther Passaris tried to comfort her.
Hundreds of mourners turned up at Ngong Race Course in Nairobi, to catch a glimpse of the pictures of the deceased that had been placed in tables covered with linen adorned with wreaths.
Addressing the mourners, Raila asserted that the government will construct a public primary school at the Lenana School land so as to ensure all students in the region have access to a good school environment.
The bodies of the eight children are currently at City mortuary and are to be handed over to parents later on Friday.
Nairobi County Government is expected to cater for the burial expenses of the deceased.
Meanwhile, the court on Friday detained the owner of the school, whose licence has been revoked, for 15 days as investigations go on.
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