A 25-year-old man tragically drowned in Mwea Constituency, Kirinyaga County, on Sunday while attempting to swim across a National Irrigation Authority dam to win a Ksh 300 bet.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The incident, which occurred around 6:30 p.m., shocked residents of Maisha Kamili in Ngurubani Town and Kamucege Village.
The victim, Kelvin Gitonga, was a well-known swimmer and boda boda operator in Ngurubani. He allegedly made a bet with a friend that he could swim from one end of the dam to the other.
Witnesses reported that Gitonga was close to reaching the shore when he tragically drowned. His friend, who had placed the bet, disappeared shortly after the incident.
Residents of Kamucege and Ngurubani have urged the National Irrigation Authority to fence the dam, noting that this is the second death in the area.
Rice farmers, led by Tebere Unit leader Alex Nguo, also called for increased safety measures.
“The dam was constructed to support rice farming during the dry season, but we need it fenced to prevent further tragedies,” Nguo stated.
Efforts to retrieve Gitonga’s body continued late into the night, with local divers and police from Wanguru Police Station at the scene.
To aid in the search, water from the dam was diverted to nearby rice farms on Monday morning.
“We are confident the body will be recovered so the family can give him a proper send-off,” Nguo added…CONTINUE READING>>
