Anestine Dzidza Tunje was a 15-year-old Grade 8 pupil at Gongoni Primary School in Kilifi County. On Friday, September 19, 2025, during the final lesson of the day, the teacher, identified as Ian Tembo (also reported as Ian Tembo Mwavuna), ordered Grade 8 students to kneel and administered corporal punishment. Some pupils were caned while others were struck on the head. Anestine was among those punished.
After the incident, she went home that afternoon but began to complain of a severe headache. Her pain intensified over the weekend. The following days saw her health deteriorate; she was taken for medical attention at Vipingo Health Centre and later transferred to Kilifi County Referral Hospital. Despite treatment, Anestine could not recover. She died on Tuesday, September 25, 2025, while in hospital.
A post-mortem examination revealed that her death was due to head injuries. The report cited blunt force trauma, a left parietal haemorrhage, and features of cerebral oedema. A CT scan showed bleeding within brain tissues. The medical findings were consistent with assault.
Following her death, her family reported the matter to the authorities. On October 1, 2025, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) summoned Mr. Tembo, and he was arrested at Mtwapa Police Station. Kilifi South Sub-county Police Commander Hassan Kochale confirmed that investigators are working to establish a clear link between the corporal punishment administered and Anestine’s death.
The case has triggered public outcry. Human rights groups and members of the community have condemned the violence and called for accountability. They emphasize that corporal punishment is banned in Kenya under the Children Act and the Basic Education Act, and that this case highlights the need to protect learners’ rights in schools.
