Property worth over Ksh20 million was looted and destroyed recently when a Catholic church-run school at the centre of a land dispute was attacked by unknown people.
Pitted against the Meru County Government in the row, Igoji Boarding and Day Secondary School was hit by a second arson attack in two weeks.
The administration block was set on fire two weeks ago after it was vandalized and looted by the arsonists, but it was to be followed by the Monday morning attack that came even as eight suspects were being arraigned at Nkubu Law Courts.
The eight were charged with burning staff quarters and classrooms, stealing farm inputs, equipment and other property all worth more than Ksh8 million.
Father Lawrence Micheni, the director of Igoji Primary School, said property worth more than Ksh20 million has been destroyed and looted in the attacks.
“It is unfortunate that the attacks have been happening near Igoji Police Station. We have been giving the information to the police but they did not act to prevent the two attacks and destruction of property,” Fr Micheni said.
He said the church has no objection to the establishment of a TVET institution in the same place because the land is big, noting even a third learning institution can be put up on the same land.
“I don’t know what I will tell the parents and the pupils since schools are about to reopen. The children love this school and treat it as their home. The church built this school without demanding anything from the community. We sponsor more than 80 students from humble backgrounds, built houses for the poor and connected many households with water,” he narrated.
He accused the governor of fuelling animosity between the church and the community by claiming that a TVET institution will bring more development in the area, calling on the government to provide security and finances to support its reconstruction.
“I urge the community to coexist peacefully with the church and treat it as their partners. The church is not an individual. Let the ministry intervene and end the land dispute,” he added.
Last year, Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza suggested that the primary school, on a 33-acre land, should be relocated to pave way for a technical training college.
The Diocese of Meru has been occupying the land since 1969 when Gikui community welcomed the church to establish a learning institution.
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