On Monday, a footbridge in Marigat, Baringo South, collapsed after a downpour, killing two herd boys and nine cows.
The shoddily constructed bridge was finished in January but had yet to be officially opened. It connected 20 communities and was used by farmers to transport their produce to market.
The boys were crossing the flooded Perkerra River in the metal footbridge with 30 head of cattle to a grazing field.
“It appears that there were some loose bolts attached to both ends of the metal bars on the bridge.” So it collapsed because the tremendous weight of the cows was too much for it to bear,” Long’ewan assistant chief Jacob Leiro said on Tuesday.
According to Leiro, eight bodies were found, with one being swept away by the swelling river.
“We thank God no human life was lost. Luckily, the children who got trapped in the collapsed bridge held onto the metal bars until they were rescued by local divers,” he said.
