Eight people said to have attended First Lady Rachel Ruto's 14th Anniversary of the Joyful Women Organization (JOYWO) at the Kasarani Stadium on Thursday in Nairobi have passed away after drowning in a flooded river on their way home.
Red Cross officials in Makueni County confirmed the death of the eight, who were swept away while attempting to cross a swollen River Muooni on their way from Kavuthu to Mutyambua.
The incident occurred at 11.00 pm last night, according to an area correspondent who spoke with Kenyans.co.ke.
"Yes, the guests were from the event organised by the First Lady. It is so sad to report that some of the deceased were relatives," the correspondent stated.
Eyewitnesses stated that the eight were not on the bus at the time of the accident as the driver had refused to ferry them across the swelling river. Despite continuous warnings that their lives were at risk, the eight allegedly held hands and crossed the river together.
Area chief Norman Musyoki also confirmed that the incident occurred along Kavuthu-Mutyambua Road and warned that the death toll may rise.
"Witnesses say seven people died. We are trying to ascertain the exact number. They were sitting on a log floating in the middle of the river after being overwhelmed by the raging waters as they tried to cross.
"A sudden swelling of the river swept them away as a crowd of witnesses looked on helplessly," Musyoki told local media stations, adding that they had warned residents against crossing the river, one of the most dangerous, during the El Nino season.
Emergency services providers were immediately deployed to the accident scene to kickstart the process of retrieving the bodies. So far, only two bodies have been retrieved from the flooded river.
The total number of passengers on board the vehicle, that of dead bodies and survivors, is yet to be confirmed.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr eulogised the victims and also lamented that the deaths occurred nearly a fortnight after three people drowned in the river.
"Yesterday in the evening, we received reports that eight people tried crossing the Muooni River. At midriver, water swelled, and currents swept them. From the reports I have received this morning, five people have already been identified. My condolences to the families who have lost the 8," Mutula mourned.
Meanwhile, JOYWO, an initiative First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto founded in 2009, aims to empower women economically through financial inclusion and skills development to meet their basic needs.
President William Ruto and Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi were among the notable guests at the Thursday event, which was attended by thousands of the organisation's members.
