A family in Kakamega is agonizing over an incident involving their son, a class two pupil who died on Wednesday following an accident at Khayega, Kakamega County.
The standard-two boy was electrocuted when going home from school as he tried to cross the Ikuywa road at Khayega area.
The circumstances under which the incident occurred are still unclear. Witnesses raised an alarm after the tragedy notifying the family of the victim.
[caption caption="A KPLC technician fixing a power line "]
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Confirming the incident, Kakamega Central OCPD Joseph Chebii said a machine being used in the ongoing construction works along the Ikuywa road had on Tuesday pulled down an electric pole at Khayega. He said the overhead cables were reportedly left hanging until Wednesday at around 5:00 pm when the boy stepped on the live wires.
"I sent officers to the scene and they were accompanied by KPLC technical officers but who switched off the power and helped in removing the body. We took him to Khayega Hospital Mortuary. We want to know whether the contractor indeed informed power supplier of the destroyed powerline and they all have to take responsibility for causing death by negligence," held Mr. Chebii.
In a related incident, on Sunday, a four-year-old boy died in Nairobi after touching a live wire at a church compound where he was playing. The boy who had accompanied his parents to the Milimani AIC church went outside to play with other children.
Nairobi Police boss Joseph Ole Tito confirmed the Sunday incident saying they were called to pick the body to the mortuary. He told the media that they had launched investigations into the matter.
"It is unfortunate he was electrocuted within the compound. We are investigating the matter to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the accident," Mr. Tito told The Standard on Sunday.
