Emotions run high at funeral service of lightning victims in Lugari

A sombre mood characterised the funeral service of the five children, who were struck by lightning in Lumakanda.

Mourners thronged Tekoa Primary School for the final send off of the five who were among seven children who were playing football at St Luke Lumakanda Secondary School before their lives were tragically ended.

The scene of the white coffins for the children aged between seven and 13 proved to be too much to bear for some mourners.

The school compound was filled to the brim in a gloomy mood full of emotional scenes as parents, relatives and friends of the departed souls tried to comprehend the tragic loss.

The coffins of Milton Aduyanga (Standard Three), Felix Andala (Standard Four), Eugene Salano (Standard Four), Bramwel Amudavi (Standard Six) and Prayful Rocho (Standard Six) sent cold shivers through the throng of classmates and friends, all of whom had been hopeful to meet again when schools open.

Franklin Shoso, one of the survivors, sat thoughtfully throughout the service remembering the tragedy that occurred in the blink of an eye.

lightning prone

"It is very painful to lose five friends at once especially in your presence yet there is nothing you can do to save them," said Shoso.

The 11-year-old boy had rushed to pick the ball in the rain before the lighting struck claiming the lives of his friends who were sheltering under a eucalyptus tree.

The other survivor Bob Mulemi has been discharged from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.

Church leaders, politicians, relatives and friends paid their last respects to the pupils who until their sudden demise, were full of life.

Political leaders demanded that the national government installs lightning arresters in all schools in the county.

They said the county is a lightning-prone region and urgent measures should be put in place to combat such incidents from occurring.

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said his administration would work together with the national government to ensure all schools wee fitted with the arresters.

"The county government will work in collaboration with the national government to install arresters in schools to combat such avoidable calamities," Mr Oparanya said.

"We are asking the Government to ensure our schools are protected from lightning tragedies," said added.

Lugari MP Ayub Savula asked the Government to ensure such a tragedy does not occur again.

He said it was unfortunate for the county to lose young people who would have been the future leaders.

"These are some of the tragedies that we will not allow to recur in our region. To achieve safety measures and protect our people from lightning, the Government should install lightning arresters in all schools," said Mr Savula.

MPs Benard Shinali (Ikolomani) and Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo) said the tragedy that claimed the lives of the innocent children is not the first one to occur in the county.

"In my own constituency lightning has struck two schools in the past. People have died and others injured due to lightning and this is alarming. We need urgent measures to enhance safety of our people now that it is clear this region is prone to lightning," said Mr Wangwe.

Mr Shinali wondered why it takes so long for the Government to secure its people when it is clear that the region is predisposed to lightning attacks. "The Government needs to put up preventive measures to combat such tragedies. It is sad that we have lost young and innocent children," Shinali said.