7-year-old boy drowns in River Yala
By Isaiah Cheruiyot, September 17, 2025A father from Taunet village in Kapkangani ward in Emgwen, Nandi county, has been left devastated after his seven-year-old son drowned in River Yala four days ago.
The boy Brian Kabu is said to have accompanied his dad to the farm, but he slid into the river while he was playing.
In a statement on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, Kabu’s father, Robert Ogambo, expressed deep sorrow at losing a child in a span of hours.
“It is heavy for me. The boy had followed me into the farm where I normally work near the Yala River, but while I was a distance away with the duties, I heard a scream along the shores when I called out his name. He was nowhere to be seen. I realised he had drowned,” he stated.
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Now consumed by grief and heavy moments, he is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his child, questioning why such a tragedy befell his innocent son.
“We have tried with neighbours try search his body but all has been in vain. It is our day four now, but not yet retrieved,” he added.
His story has sparked an outpouring of sympathy and support from neighbours, with many expressing shock and sadness over the heartbreaking incident.
Chris Bett, a neighbour, said the family has not received any support from the government to help in retrieving the boy’s body, calling on the county and national governments to intervene in helping the needy family retrieve their child’s body.
“This is not the first time we have heard such cases. The problem has always been the divers and the swimmers retrieving the body. We are kindly appealing to the government to come help. Day four: This family is struggling here. It is really sad,” Bett told K24 Digital.