A somber mood has engulfed residents of Kamariny Ward in Keiyo North Sub-County after a six-year-old child drowned in an abandoned cattle dip within Kiptabus area.
The minor, identified as Darius Kiptigei, is reported to have gone missing on Sunday evening and his body was discovered the following day.
Confirming the incident, Kamariny Ward Assistant County Commissioner Adrian Kilot said:“We received a report from the Chief of Kiptabus location regarding the incident at Katalel cattle dip. Police officers responded promptly, and the body of the child was found at the scene,” said Kilot.
He added that officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had launched investigations into the circumstances of the tragedy.“We urge members of the public to remain calm as investigations are ongoing to establish the exact cause of the incident,” he said.
According to the child’s grandfather, Wilson Kiptigei, the family had reported the disappearance to the police after the child failed to return home on Sunday evening.
“The child disappeared on Sunday evening, and we reported the matter to the police. It is heartbreaking that he was later found dead in the cattle dip,” he said.
The grieving grandfather called on the county government to take urgent measures to secure the area, noting that both the cattle dip and a nearby dam pose significant risks to residents.
“We want the Kapterit cattle dip and the adjacent dam to be fenced off and fitted with a gate. Security should also be enhanced because children frequently access the area, and many people use the dam for fishing,” he said.
He further warned that the site is not only dangerous to children but also to intoxicated adults who may accidentally wander into the unfenced facility.
Echoing similar concerns, Michael Kipkosgei, a former worker at the cattle dip, revealed that the facility had previously been secured.
“I worked at the dip for ten years, and it used to be fenced. During that time, children never ventured into the area,” he said.
Kipkosgei urged the county government to permanently seal off the cattle dip, noting that it is no longer operational and has increasingly become a danger zone.
“Currently, the dip is not in use, and no adults frequent the area only children. The county government should seal it off completely to prevent such tragedies,” he added.
Police have since taken the body to Iten County Referral Hospital mortuary as investigations continue.
By Rennish Okong’o
