Five die in separate incidents during festive season

By Muareen Odiwour

KISUMU, KENYA: Police in Kisumu have recovered three bodies of victims who drowned following heavy rains that have pounded several parts of the country.

Muhoroni OCPD Muthuri Mwongera said they retrieved the body of a man from the banks of River Nyando.

“We suspect the man was swept by the flood waters from Nandi hills,” he said.

Mwongera said they also found remains of a decomposed body in a sugar cane plantation at Kopere area in Muhoroni, adding that they were not sure whether the body was male or female as it had decomposed beyond recognition.

Two more bodies of those who had drowned were recovered around Kisumu North on Saturday.

Kisumu North OCPD Peter Omanwa said the first body belonging to an unidentified female suspected to be in her mid 20s was found that morning at River Kisian.

Mr Omanwa said in another incident, a man slipped at a quarry full of rain water and drowned in Kanyakwar past Mamboleo Estate while washing a lorry.

The man, a turnboy of the lorry that ferries sand, was with his driver when the incident occurred.

“They often wash the lorry there but on this particular day he slipped and fell inside the water because of the heavy rains,” said the OCPD.

He said the police and locals searched for him and recovered the body one hour later.

Meanwhile, a man was killed by a tractor that was transporting sugarcane in Muhoroni, Kisumu County.

The man who attempted to steal a ride on the back of the tractor slipped and fell. Unfortunately he was crushed by the massive rear tyres of the tractor and died on the spot.

All the recovered bodies were taken to the New Nyanza Provincial Hospital mortuary.