Two dead, one hospitalised after eating ‘contaminated food’ at party

Police in Butere Sub County have launched investigations to unearth what exactly happened during a housewarming party where two people died.

A third one is fighting for his life after consuming food that was believed to be contaminated. The housewarming party was held last Saturday.

At least seven people visited several health facilities in the constituency after experiencing diarrhoea and stomach ache.

The victims were also reported to have consumed alcoholic drinks.

Among the dead is  Shadrack Nandwa, aged 33 years and a father of four, from Ebutayi village in Kisa Central location.

In an interview on Thursday, Devotah Awino, his wife said she had just had supper around 8.00pm when she came out of the house to pick firewood while carrying a lantern.

Ms. Awino said she saw someone lying near the gate and went to check who he was, adding that she was shocked to find that it was her unconscious husband. 

She said the T-shirt he was putting on when he went to the event and a shoe were missing.

“I alerted my in-laws so that they could help me carry him to the house to sleep. I thought that we could just take him to the house to sleep and, after regaining consciousness, tell us what had happened,” said Awino.

Nandwa was taken to St Mary’s hospital – Mumias, which is at least 20 kilometres away from the village and he was pronounced dead upon reaching the hospital by the medics.

John Shumwe, aged 44 years also died after attending the same house-warming party. He hails from Manyulia village in Marenyo -Shianda location.

According to Amos Ogutu, his younger brother, he was going back home on a fateful day around 8.00pm when he received a phone call that he was needed at his grandmother’s place urgently.

Mr Ogutu said when he arrived at the grandmother’s place, he was informed that he needed to take his brother home and ensure he is in his house since he was very drunk.

“I took my two cousins and we carried him on our shoulders up to his house. He had breathing difficulties but we assumed he was drunk. On Sunday morning when I went to check on him, he was lying in the same position that we left him in,” said Ogutu.

His aunt, Agnes Shumwe said they took his body to St Mary’s hospital- Mumias and are waiting for autopsy results to ascertain what caused his death.

Butere Police OCPD Boniface Lisiolo confirmed the incident saying two people have died so far and the other one was recuperating in the hospital.

The OCPD said they have taken samples of Ugali, water, alcoholic drinks such as Changaa, Viceroy and Whisky to the Government chemist in Kisumu for testing.

“We are also waiting for post-mortem report for the two bodies at St Mary’s hospital in Mumias so that we can know where to start our investigations from,” said Mr. Lisiolo.