- A report by Africa Uncensored has exposed decades of alleged grooming by teacher Peter Ayiro.
- Ayiro reportedly used his influence in religious and mentorship roles to manipulate students emotionally.
- Former students spoke of inappropriate relationships, including continued contact after graduation.
- The school management is accused of ignoring repeated warnings over the years.
- Safeguarding failures have resurfaced, including a 2023 defilement case involving a night guard.
- Legal experts say such conduct breaches Kenya’s child protection laws and warrants prosecution.
- The investigation is now sparking calls for reforms in elite schools and accountability from education officials.
Alliance Girls High School, one of Kenya’s most admired institutions, is now in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. An explosive exposé by Africa Uncensored has pulled back the curtain on the alleged grooming and emotional exploitation of students by Peter Ayiro, a teacher long trusted with mentorship roles.
The investigation shows that Ayiro used his image as a spiritual mentor to target girls over more than two decades. From overseeing Christian Union activities to drama club meetings, he is said to have turned those platforms into personal hunting grounds.
What made it worse, according to insiders, was how untouchable Ayiro had become. Staff and students describe him as a “pillar of Christian leadership”, someone no one dared question. That shield of religion is exactly what kept him immune from scrutiny for so long.
He even went as far as marrying a former student, who now reportedly lives abroad and is in the process of divorcing him. Her silence for years, many say, mirrors that of others who were afraid or unsure of how to speak out.
The testimonies are heartbreaking. Some former students shared how Ayiro gave them special treatment, used terms like “my heartbeat,” and made them feel chosen but also isolated. One victim narrated how a walk during the COVID-19 period turned into a sexual encounter in his car and later at his house, within school grounds.
Another said she was taken to his house shortly after turning 18 under the excuse of planning a mentorship event. That too, ended with sexual contact.
The most painful part? This wasn’t hidden from everyone. The report details how teachers had observed the suspicious closeness between Ayiro and his students. But nothing happened. Even when concerns were raised in 2018 and again in 2021, the administration allegedly brushed them off.
A former chaplain confirmed she had tried to raise the alarm, but no action was taken. Some staff quietly warned girls to stay away but stopped short of reporting him officially.
Ayiro’s behaviour reportedly extended outside the school. Many students ran into him again years later at Koinonia Life Centre, where his father serves as the senior pastor. Several of them later learned they had all received similar “special” attention from him.
The church leadership, despite receiving complaints of an affair in 2021 between Ayiro and a former student, did not act. He continued being active in both the school and the church.
Investigators uncovered a structured way Ayiro allegedly targeted emotionally vulnerable students especially those dealing with stress, loss, or seeking mentorship. He created emotional dependence disguised as spiritual care, leading students into blurred boundaries and confusion.
Screenshots from private conversations showed him sending inappropriate messages using terms of endearment clearly meant to overstep professional lines.
This isn’t the school’s first safeguarding crisis. In June 2023, a security guard named Daniel Pango was arrested for allegedly defiling a 16-year-old student. The crime had occurred days before it was even reported.
This disturbing trend raises serious questions. Are high-achieving schools focusing more on grades and reputation than on the welfare and protection of students?
Kenyan laws are clear. No teacher should be in any form of relationship, especially sexual, with a student. Even if the student is 18, any form of grooming and abuse of authority is a criminal offence under the Sexual Offences Act. Violators risk at least 10 years behind bars.
Worse still, institutions that ignore or fail to report such conduct can be held liable under the law, including the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission.
If any student faces inappropriate conduct, they are advised to report it to a teacher, the school head, a TSC office, or the nearest police station. The toll-free Child Helpline (116) is also available for private reporting.
Parents and guardians are expected to help the learners pursue justice, not cover things up or let the cases fade away.
Now that the veil has been lifted, former students and alumni want swift action. Many are demanding that Ayiro be removed permanently and barred from working with students in any setting.
But beyond this one case, Kenyans must reflect. How did such a dangerous pattern go unchecked in a top school for over two decades? How did the church, the school board, and education officials all look the other way?
As one alumna painfully said, “Everyone saw it, but no one spoke. And our little sisters are going through the same things in silence. We must not fail them again.”
This is not just about Peter Ayiro. It’s about a broken system that allowed abuse to thrive. It’s about institutions that chose silence over justice. And it’s a call to every school and every church: protect children, or you are part of the problem.
We hope the truth leads to justice, and never again will silence be louder than the cries of the innocent.
