This archive report was first published on 7 July 2019.
On Sunday, a 25-year-old woman, Dorcas Chebet, met her untimely death after falling into a 40-foot deep pit latrine in Mlimani Estate, Kericho Town.
According to Kericho Town chief Duncan Bii, Chebet, a mother of one, died at around 3 am after the toilet's concrete floor sank due to the soggy walls caving in.
It was not until the morning that her neighbor, who also needed to use the toilet, discovered the walls had caved in and Chebet was missing.
"We are currently at the scene trying to retrieve the deceased body," said Bii. "The challenge is that the Kericho County exhauster's sucking pipe is not deep enough to reach the 40 feet deep pit latrine," he added.
Kericho County Police Commander James Mugera noted that debris in the latrine was another factor hindering the efforts to retrieve the body.
Local MCA Erick Bett urged landlords in the area to inspect their pit latrines and ensure they are safe for use by tenants.
