Mukumu Girls' Whistleblower fired

Piece by: CYNDY ALUOCH AND HILTON OTENYO
News

• Douglas Muchela is said to have been fired two months ago by the school for speaking to journalists without the approval of the head cook and cateress.

• Speaking to the Nation, he stated that the board would frequently side with the school if he revealed the truth to the authorities, putting his employment at risk.

Mukumu High School.

The chef at Mukumu Girls' High School who spoke to the media about the food poisoning issue was sacked for defying orders from his superiors.

Douglas Muchela is said to have been fired two months ago by the school for speaking to journalists without the approval of the head cook and cateress.

Speaking to the Nation, he stated that the board would frequently side with the school if he revealed the truth to the authorities, putting his employment at risk.

“The letter I was given says I did not follow orders from my bosses, the head cook and the cateress,” he said.

“I am now at home without a job and this is because I did what was necessary. I stand by the truth and what happened at Mukumu Girls' was not right, that is why I spoke about it,” Muchela said.

Muchela was left with two years before retiring prior to his sacking.

According to Muchela, the school leadership has been unwilling to pick up the issues raised for the good of the students.

He said he received two letters from the school dismissing him from the job.

Muchela noted that the head cook was also sacked with the allegations that he incited other cooks.

“How can I be influenced by someone they claim I disrespected. I still do not know my mistake and the reason as to why they let me go,” he said.

Muchela's firing comes after an outbreak that saw over 124 students hospitalised at the Kakamega County General Hospital in a suspected case of food and water poisoning.

When contacted, the Principal Jane Mbone neither confirmed nor agreed to the allegations.

She said she cannot speak on phone to answer the allegations.

In May 31, Director General of Health Patrick Amoth said the food the students consumed was contaminated with human faeces.  

"The Ministry wishes to inform the general public that this disease is likely to be a mixture of E. coli and Salmonella typhi which usually occurs if water sources are contaminated with these micro-organisms," he said in a statement.

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