Oyugi Ogango secondary school principal dies, authorities dispel Covid-19 rumours

 

Oyugi Ogango Girls' Secondary School principal Martha Ouma on Tuesday morning died at a Kisumu hospital while undergoing treatment, with officials dispelling rumours she might have succumbed to Covid 19.

In the morning, candidates at the school in Rongo subcounty and villagers mourned the death of Ouma.

Migori county education officer Elizabeth Otieno said the teacher passed on at Nightingale Hospital in Kisumu.

Otieno said it was sad that after her death, social media posts attributed the death to Covid-19, which she said was false and alarming.

“She was unwell for long and the death has shocked us, we are waiting for further details and results from the Ministry of Health on what might have caused her death. We discourage alarm over the death with unconfirmed reports,” she said.

Migori county Health executive Iscar Oluoch said the cause of death is yet to be established.

Migori county Kuppet secretary general Orwa Jasolo said the death has shocked them, and said rumours about Covid-19 might have been started by teachers.

“We have concerns as education stakeholders over Covid-19, but rumours on the deaths are unfounded and not confirmed,” Jasolo said

He said the death “is the third in a week and as teachers we will be following the results of the postmortem keenly.”

On Monday evening, Diana Achieng’ the deputy principal at Rabwao Mixed Secondary School in Nyatike committed suicide.

Locals alleged she was suffering from depression.

On Friday last week, Siling Mixed Secondary School principal Tobias Onyango Ondu also passed on.

Rongo MP Paul Abuor credited Ouma for tremendously improving school performance in national examinations since she took over 10 years ago.

“She was always concerned about welfare of her students, going to the extent of calling parents when students left the institution. She was a staunch Christian and helped in development,” Abuor said.