Alex Mwakideu Among Kenyans Questioning Installation Of CCTV Cameras Inside Utumishi Girls Dormitory

Renowned radio broadcaster Alex Mwakideu has ignited a fierce national debate regarding student privacy after questioning why closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras were installed directly inside the sleeping quarters of Utumishi Girls Academy.

Speaking during his radio broadcast on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, the veteran presenter addressed the chilling aftermath of the Gilgil dormitory inferno that claimed the lives of 16 students. While the leaked surveillance footage successfully helped detectives track down and arrest seven arson suspects, Mwakideu pointed out that the videos have inadvertently exposed a major constitutional boundary issue.

“Mbona Kuna CCTV Ndani Ya Mabweni?”

Mwakideu noted that the initial relief of identifying the suspects quickly turned to deep discomfort among parents and the public once they realized the exact vantage point of the cameras.

“Mjadala umeshika moto mtandaoni, ni mjadala kuhusiana na shule ya Utumishi ya wasichana iliyochomeka majuzi katika eneo la GilGil pale ambapo wasichana wetu walipoteza maisha yao takriban kumi na sita,” Mwakideu observed. “Baadaye, tumeona CCTV cameras za kuonyesha jinsi ambavyo ule moto uliwashwa. So wanajiuliza maswali mbona kuna CCTV cameras ndani ya mabweni?”

The broadcaster gave voice to the anxiety of thousands of parents who are now realizing that their teenage daughters are under constant visual surveillance in spaces where they change clothes and sleep.

Fears of Control Room Exploitation

The core of Mwakideu’s critique targeted the lack of transparency surrounding the monitoring personnel, pointing out the severe risks of voyeurism and data abuse in school security control rooms.

“Kuna wale wanadai kwamba… watu wanauliza hivi kuna mtu amekaa katika control room ya CCTV anawaona watoto wetu wa kike wakibadilisha nguo?” Mwakideu posed. “Ni nani huyu amekaa katika control room? Ni mtoto wa kiume ama mtoto wa kike?”

The presenter challenged the education sector’s growing reliance on intrusive technology, arguing that deep-rooted institutional challenges like bullying, indiscipline, and student radicalization can be resolved through traditional patron supervision and better counseling, rather than violating basic rights to privacy. “Ndio nauliza maswali, hivi bullying haiwezi kukabiliwa bila CCTV kuwepo?” he questioned.

A Clash with State Directives

Mwakideu’s public intervention places him in direct opposition to recent government mandates. In the immediate wake of the Utumishi tragedy, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen ordered all boarding schools nationwide to install extensive CCTV networks to monitor student behavior and prevent arson.

However, Mwakideu’s remarks have pushed child protection advocates and legal experts to demand strict guidelines on surveillance placement, forcing a difficult national conversation on where a school’s right to secure its property ends, and a student’s right to bodily dignity begins.