Teachers from various secondary schools in Isiolo staged protests on February 19, 2026, following the killing of deputy principal Gatobu Maingi by bandits. The incident has intensified security concerns in northern Kenya. Various groups, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, have condemned the attack.
On the night of Wednesday, February 18, 2026, Gatobu Maingi, the deputy principal at Leperua Secondary School, was attacked and killed by bandits while riding his motorbike home from school. According to Moses Kimwere, the executive secretary of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Isiolo Branch, Maingi was targeted during his journey home.
The following day, teachers from various secondary schools held protests, carrying placards with messages such as "Stop killing teachers" and "Bandits should teach students." These demonstrations highlight growing concerns over security in northern Kenya, particularly following another incident where a primary school teacher and an area chief were killed by suspected al-Shabaab militants in Hulugho, Mandera County, on January 25, 2026.
After those Mandera killings, many teachers requested transfers, leading to a halt in learning and leaving students without instructors. To address such security threats causing teachers to flee, President William Ruto ordered the hiring of an additional 600 teachers born in the area during a recent tour of Mandera.
"As a matter of affirmative action, for all the teachers who left here to be replaced, I have said we are hiring here in Mandera another 600 teachers to make sure they take charge of education in our primary and secondary schools," Ruto stated. "Now we will have teachers who were born here. Even if there are problems, they will stay here to make sure your children are taught," he added, expressing confidence that recruiting local teachers would stabilize education in the region.
Maingi's death has drawn statements from various groups, including former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who condemned the incident.
