Finding the dead for a living in Siaya’s seductive river of death

YALA BODY RETRIEVER: Jonathan Okite Oturo has retrieved over 100 bodies from river Yala since 1976. He is currently searching for a secondary school teacher suspected to have committed suicide at Ndanu Water Falls. 19/06/15. PHOTO:TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD

Ndanu Falls in Siaya County is of breathtaking beauty. The scenic waterfalls and rocky backyard has over the years attracted local and foreign tourists who visit to meditate and enjoy the fragrance of nature.

But these falls in Yala also presents a dark side, with its meandering river, hanging cliffs and fast-flowing water being a perfect site for suicide. Police and villagers say many people, some from faraway places, have walked, driven or cycled to Ndanu to take their lives.