Grief as two more children drown in a dam in Meru

A sombre mood engulfed Runyenye village in Kiirua location, Buuri constituency in Meru County after two(2) children drowned in a private dam in unclear circumstances.

The two(2) deceased children who are a boy and girl aged three and four years respectively, were allegedly playing together when the unfortunate incident occurred.

The incident happened just two(2) days after a 12-year-old boy from the same constituency drowned in a private dam.

Confirming the incident, Kirua location chief Samuel Kimonye Ruchiu said they suspect the two kids might have been looking for a ball which had fallen in the dam or were probably chasing each other when they accidentally fell into the dam.

“We are saddened by the sudden and untimely death of the two minors. It’s not clear what exactly happened, but we will soon find out. The two were playing together up until around 3pm when the incident occurred. They were discovered in the dam when residents started looking for them in the evening,” said Mr Ruchiu.

He said the deceased were alone when tragedy struck because majority of parents were away from home attending a nearby burial ceremony.

The administrator called on the residents to ensure that all dams in the locality are fenced in order to avoid such incidents in the future.

Mr Ruchiu noted that if such dams are not fenced, children might fall and drown when playing while grown-ups might slip and fall at night.

He said the two(2) deceased children are from two different families.

Meru County Special Programmes and Disaster Management Director Kenneth Mwiti termed the incident as painful and shocking.

He called on farmers to consult with his office before constructing any dam or borehole in a bid to ensure that all safety precautions are followed.

Mr Mwiti also called on all residents in Meru County to ensure that they fence dams and boreholes to prevent such disasters in the future.

He advised agricultural officers and chiefs to educate and sensitize farmers on the importance of fencing dams and boreholes in their farms.

“Children can play anywhere and we must take the necessary precautions. You cannot predict what will happen in the future, but you can prevent such disasters from occurring. Let agricultural officers and chiefs educate and sensitize farmers on the importance of such precautionary measures,” Mr Mwiti said.

He said fire outbreaks are prevalent this month--September--due to the prevailing high temperatures and advised the residents to take the necessary precautions.

“Fire breaks out very easily when temperatures are high and especially in timber houses painted with oil. When burning waste, ensure it burns to ashes and then pour water to prevent reigniting the fire,” Mr Mwiti said.