Six Members of Makueni County Assembly (MCAs) were on Thursday arrested by police after they allegedly led a wave of protests, blocking the new principal of St Joseph Girls’ School.

The six are said to have blocked the principal from accessing the school, in protest of the new changes recently announced by Acting Education CS Dr Fred Matiang'i which affected nearly 500 principals.

Chaos were reported on Thursday morning at the institution, as the MCAs blocked education officials from escorting a newly-posted principal into the school compound. The MCAs were detained at the Kibwezi police station. The issue started last week when the school’s board of directors locked the principal’s office.

Widespread

In Bungoma County on Wednesday, four Bungoma MCAs stormed Friend’s School Kamusinga and ejected the new principal. Mr Alex Maina was later escorted back by police.

The MCAs said Maina was transferred from an underperforming school and would lower standards at Kamusinga.

Maina was posted to the school this term, taking over from Edwin Namachanja, who has been at the school since 2010. Friends School Kamusinga is a national school.

MCAs Luke Opwora, Aggrey Mulongo, Elvis Abuka and Stephen Wafula stormed the school when students were in class.

They ejected Maina, then locked the principal’s doors with padlocks. “I warned you from the beginning we will not allow failures in this school and you thought it was a joke. Get out!” MCA Mulongo said.

In a separate incidence, Kapenguria Boys High School of West Pokot County, was on Thursday closed indefinitely after students staged protests against the transfer of their principal Mr James Omayo.

There has been a wave of protests from across the country over the new decision by Acting Education CS Dr Fred Matiang’i to transfer school principals, some having faced resistance due to poor performance in their previous duty stations.