Legislator offers coffin and transport to victims of river Nzoia boat tragedy

504
Members of the public gather at the banks of river Nzoia in Sango village to view one of the recovered bodies (extreme right).

Alego / Usonga Member of Parliament, Samuel Atandi has offered coffins and transport to each of the families whose members perished in a boat tragedy in River Nzoia last Saturday.

Atandi, who visited the bereaved at Sango river bank where they are camping to await retrieval of the bodies, said his office was committed to supporting the bereaved and called on county and national governments to equally chip in to enable the deceased be accorded decent send off.

He spoke as the police announced the recovery of the body of another victim of the tragedy, bringing to two those who have so far been retrieved.

The legislator said there was need for the government to come up with a programme that will equip the youth who live along river banks, lake shores and next to water bodies with swimming and diving skills so that they can help during such tragedies.

“The skilled youth will come in handy during such tragedies as they will act as the first emergency line to save lives or retrieve bodies,” he said.

Atandi lamented that Siaya had no skilled divers and had to rely on experts from Bomet County who are still combing the fast flowing, swollen river for the bodies.

“Government support in this area has been lukewarm. How I hope it could have come in a big way to support families camping at the river banks awaiting the bodies of their loved ones as dictated by the Luo culture,” he said.

The MP at the same time appealed to the people living next to water bodies to be cautious to avoid the loss of lives.