Molo MP Kuria Kimani has clarified why more than 900 students and over 100 teachers from his constituency spent the night at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), saying delays during a day-long educational tour made it unsafe to travel back after dark.
The lawmaker said the trip involved 920 learners from more than 20 schools in Molo Constituency, accompanied by over 100 teachers and several parents. The group traveled to Nairobi aboard more than 20 school buses, some sourced from neighboring Kuresoi North Constituency.
Speaking in an interview, Kimani said the educational trip drew far more learners than anticipated, which made it difficult to complete all planned activities and return to Molo on time.
“The children were very many. It got late, but we could not take them anywhere else because of existing regulations. If the kids didn’t sleep well, I also didn’t sleep well,” he said.
The tour was fully financed and coordinated by the MP’s office. Facilitation covered transport, meals and teachers’ allowances, according to Kimani.
The itinerary included visits to the Parliament of Kenya, the National Museum of Kenya, the Nairobi Railway Museum and KICC.
Kimani explained that delays began at Parliament, where several other schools were also booked for tours on the same day.
“We didn’t expect we were going to be late and we didn’t anticipate it. There were also many other students and schools at Parliament. By the time the learners completed their tour, it was already night, making it impossible for the buses to begin the return journey without violating the Ministry of Education’s directive barring school vehicles from operating after 6 p.m.,” he said.
At Parliament, the MP said he invited several leaders and parliamentary officials to interact with the students. Those present included Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie, Eldas MP Adan Keynan, and officers from the Serjeant-at-Arms Department.
The interaction was intended to expose learners to the work of Parliament and to give them an opportunity to engage with legislators.
With the buses unable to leave Nairobi after 6 p.m. under Ministry of Education rules, organizers made the decision to have the learners, teachers and accompanying parents spend the night at KICC rather than risk traveling.
Kimani said he communicated with parents and students before the arrangements were finalized.
“I called the parents and explained what had happened. I also spoke to the children, and they were okay. They were happy and comfortable,” he said.
The MP added that all learners and teachers were provided with supper before spending the night at the convention centre. He said security and supervision arrangements were put in place to ensure the students were safe through the night.
Educational tours to Nairobi are common for schools in the Rift Valley, but large groups often face logistical challenges around transport, timing, and accommodation.
The Ministry of Education directive restricting school vehicles from operating after 6 p.m. is intended to protect learners on long-distance travel. In this case, it meant that once the Parliament visit ran late, the return journey to Molo, which takes several hours, could not proceed the same day.
Kimani said the large number of participants contributed to the delays. With more than 20 schools involved, movement between sites took longer than planned, and queuing at Parliament further extended the schedule.
According to the MP, the decision to stay at KICC was made in consultation with teachers and parents who were on the trip. He said he addressed both groups to explain why the return journey had to be postponed.
He maintained that the learners remained comfortable and that the night was spent without incident. Supper was provided for everyone, and the group resumed travel the following morning once it was safe for school buses to operate.
Kimani said the purpose of the tour was to give learners exposure to national institutions and history, and that despite the late finish, the objective was achieved.
The clarification comes amid public discussion online about images of students sleeping at KICC.
