Two students drown in separate incidents in Kericho : The Standard

• Nikko Tanui
• Posted on: 13th Jan 2019 16:13:31 GMT +0300

A first year student from the University of Kabianga (UoK) had a swimming expedition which turned tragic after he drowned at Chemosit river. The Bachelor of Education student at the university’s main campus in Belgut Constituency had gone for a cool swim in the river located near the campus, in the company of three friends, when the incident occurred. UoK’s public relations officer Nicholas Langat, confirmed the Sunday 2:30PM incident. He nonetheless declined to give the student’s name until the next of kin is informed. “The student had alongside his three friends gone for walk and swim in the river when he was overwhelmed by the currents and drowned,” he said.

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Local divers managed to retrieve the student’s body after an hour search in the river’s coloured water.  The list of UoK’s students drowning in Chemosit river continues to grow despite the University’s Vice-Chancellor Wilson Kipngeno constantly cautioning the students against going swimming in the river. Separate tragedy Earlier in the day, the body of a 15-years-old boy who drowned at Barotion dam in Kipkelion East Constituency was retrieved after 16-hours search. Emmanuel Kipyegon drowned after he swam to the centre of the dam.

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The boy was enjoying his last days at home ahead of joining form one at Kapcheplanga Secondary School. His brother, Nahashon Langat, said that Kipyegon had gone for swimming with friends at 4PM on Saturday when the incident occurred. Masaita Chief Simeon Mureu said it took 16 hours before local divers could manage to retrieve the deceased’s body. “We appeal to young people especially those without good swimming skills to avoid swimming in deep end of the dam or avoid swimming in it all together,” he said.  Need for divers

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Joseph Cherorot, who was among the first rescuers to arrive at the scene called on Governor Paul Chepkwony’s administration to recruit professional divers. “It was so difficult to locate professional divers and request them to rush to the scene and assist in the rescue efforts or to retrieve the deceased’s body,” he said.  Cherorot, argued that with the rising number of drowning incidents, the divers should be recruited from wards with major rivers and dams. Londiani Member of County Assembly Stanley Bett said he will table a bill in the floor of the house for the recruitment of the divers. 

Related Topics

University of KabiangaChemosit riverEmmanuel KipyegonStudentDrown