This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
On August 5, 2020, a devastating incident occurred in Homa Bay County, where a 30-year-old police officer, Constable Godfrey Odhiambo Juma, lost his life after drowning in River Awach.
According to reports, the officer had gone to the river to take a bath at around 1 p.m. He was in the company of several other police officers at the time.
Nominated MCA Nereah Amondi confirmed the incident, stating that the officer was drunk when he went for the bath. However, the winner of the TV series, Ms President, clarified that the officer had gone for a bath, not a swim.
Investigations have been launched to establish the true cause of the officer's demise. Reports indicate that after the bath, the officer attempted to swim with his colleagues but was unable to rescue himself, and his attempts to stay afloat proved futile.
River Awach is a few kilometres away from the police post and has been used as a source of water by residents and police officers attached to the station. The area has constantly suffered from a water shortage, leading to over-dependence on the river.
Unfortunately, the number of people drowning in rivers has been on the rise, with a recent incident occurring at Thompson Falls, Nyahururu County, where a woman slipped and fell into the river on July 27.
