Tensions escalated at Chesamisi Boys High School on Tuesday as a grieving family from Kamukuywa village stormed Chesamisi Boys High School to seek answers following the sudden death of their 17-year-old son, Eugene Wekesa, a Form Four candidate.
Led by the boy’s paternal uncle, Mr. Samuel Makari, the family sought an urgent audience with Principal Mr. Protus Ndombi, the boarding master, class teacher, and school nurse. However, according to family accounts, key staff members reportedly disappeared from the compound upon spotting the agitated family.
The incident follows the student’s death early Monday morning, March 16, 2026, amid allegations of delayed response, negligence during transit, and questions surrounding medical treatment administered at the school.
Mr. David Wekesa, the father, recounted receiving a call from the school around 4:50 a.m. informing him of his son’s deteriorating health. He immediately directed the school to transport Eugene to a health facility in Kimilili town, where he planned to meet them.
En route, at around 5:30 a.m. in the Maeni area, Mr. Wekesa called the handlers to check their location—only to learn they were directly behind his vehicle. He pulled over, and the school van driver along with another staff member instructed him to collect his son from the back cabin of the school van.
To his horror, Mr. Wekesa found Eugene lying unresponsive on the van floor, profusely nosebleeding. He transferred the boy to his car and rushed to Lugulu Mission Hospital, where Eugene was pronounced dead on arrival.
Shockingly, the school van did not follow to the hospital nor make any further contact, according to the family.
Family sources revealed that Eugene began feeling unwell as early as 1 a.m., yet the class teacher only contacted the parents nearly four hours later—prompting questions about the delay in seeking or providing help.
During Tuesday’s protest, students emerged from classes to observe the scene. One student reportedly told the family that Eugene had collapsed after receiving an injection from the school nursing officer.
“When the students came out to witness our protest, one of them told us that my brother collapsed after being injected by the nursing officer,” said Eugene’s elder sister, Sharleen Wekesa.
“All we want is the nursing officer to tell us what he was treating so that we include it in our sibling’s eulogy.”
The family insists Eugene had no prior medical history or chronic conditions, heightening suspicions about the cause of death.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Principal Protus Ndombi were unsuccessful. In a brief telephone interview, he offered condolences, stating, “I wish to tender my condolences to the family and the school for losing such a bright child and I have explained everything to the family. What I wish to share with you is not something we can speak on phone.”
He has not responded to subsequent calls or messages by the time of going into publication for this article.
The family strongly refutes the principal’s claim that a comprehensive report has already been provided to them, vowing to press for full transparency and accountability regarding the circumstances of their son’s death.
Eugene’s body is currently preserved at Lugulu mortuary, with burial scheduled for Friday in Kamukuywa village.
The incident has reignited community concerns about emergency medical protocols, staff responsiveness, and student welfare in boarding schools, especially during critical examination preparation periods.
Local authorities have been called upon to investigate, including potential postmortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.
As the family mourns, they continue to demand justice and clear answers to prevent similar tragedies in the future.