Kirinyaga County has reported two hardship cases among the 14,399 candidates sitting the 2026 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, with education officials confirming that both candidates have been facilitated to continue with their papers despite their difficult circumstances.
The cases involve a candidate from Mukinduri Secondary School who recently gave birth and is sitting her examinations at Kerugoya Referral Hospital, and another from Kagure Secondary School in Mwea who is currently being held at Kerugoya Prison.
Kirinyaga County Director of Education Joshua Mwangi said the two candidates had been provided with the necessary arrangements to ensure their circumstances do not prevent them from completing the national examinations.
Speaking on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, during the distribution of examination materials at the Deputy County Commissioner’s Office in Mwea West, Mwangi said the county had not recorded any major incident since the examinations began.
“The examinations are running smoothly. We have not had any issues. We have two cases that we can call hardship cases, but all of them are taking the examinations, and so far we can report that all is well,” he said.
Mwangi said examination materials for the day’s papers had been distributed successfully, expressing confidence that the remaining examinations would proceed without disruptions.
He noted that the first group of candidates in the county was expected to complete its examinations on Friday, while candidates taking Physics would sit their final papers on November 20.
The education director acknowledged that the onset of the rainy season could present logistical challenges but maintained that no weather-related disruptions had been reported in the county.
Meanwhile, Kirinyaga County Commissioner Shufaa Mwijuma has called on examination officials and security personnel to maintain heightened vigilance as the national examinations approach their final stages.
Speaking after overseeing the opening of examination containers in Mwea West Sub-County, Mwijuma directed centre managers, supervisors and invigilators to strictly observe examination regulations and safeguard the integrity of the exercise.
She instructed security officers to maintain close surveillance at examination centres and avoid unnecessary movements in and out of school compounds.
The commissioner also warned school administrators against allowing unauthorised persons into examination centres, insisting that access should be restricted to individuals with official responsibilities.
On examination security, Mwijuma cautioned against the unauthorised transfer of examination container keys, directing that they remain under the custody of designated officials.
She further emphasised that examination containers must remain under the protection of two armed security officers throughout the day and night to prevent possible security breaches.
Mwijuma said Kirinyaga had not recorded any examination malpractice, crediting the cooperation between security agencies and education officials for maintaining order.
“So far, so good. We have not had any instances of cheating in the entire Kirinyaga County. We have only had one or two cases of hardship, which we are managing,” she said.
She assured candidates, parents and other stakeholders that the county remained prepared to oversee the successful completion of the 2026 KCSE examinations.
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