Family’s anguish over two-week search for drowned boy

It has been nearly two weeks of despair and agony for a family whose 11-year-old boy drowned in a swollen River Sosiani.

Efforts to retrieve the body of Emmanuel Kemboi, a Standard Five pupil who slipped and plunged into the fast-moving waters on October 29, have been unsuccessful.

Nearly 30 divers hired by the family were yet to retrieve the body as the search entered the thirteenth day.

Divers who include fire brigade deployed by the county government said the body might have been swept kilometres away.

The search for the Patrician Academy Eldoret pupil’s body was extended to Tongaren, Bungoma County.

Last week, the search had been taken downstream to areas of Miti Moja in Huruma Estate, five kilometres away from West Indies where the pupil drowned as he played with his peers.

The divers drawn from Cheploch in Elgeyo Marakwet as well other teams from Webuye and Tongaren braved rains and chilly weather in Uasin Gishu.

Emmanuel’s parents called for help from the military, saying the local divers lack requisite equipment to navigate the swollen river.

His mother Ruth Maraba said the family has done all it can to retrieve the body and get closure.

“It is painful that I lost my youngest son, but we can’t get his body for burial. I have been crying for the last ten days,” Ms Maraba said. Emmanuel’s elder brother Brian Kemboi who has never left the sight of the divers since the Tuesday afternoon drowning, said his family has not rested in the 11 days of anguish.