Residents of Rwaro village in Kahuro subcounty in Murang’a county are mourning the deaths of two children who drowned in an open tank.
According to Jeniffer Njeri, a grandmother to one of the children, the tragedy occurred on Wednesday morning as she was cutting fodder for her livestock.
“We woke up well and even had breakfast then I went with my grandson to the farm but shortly after, a friend from a neighbouring home came for him and they ran off to play”.
The children were aged six and eight years respectively.
Unbeknownst to her, the children ran off to the road and ended up at the compound of Rwaro factory that has an open tank whose water is used to process coffee cherry.
She said that she had not finished her chores when she heard screams coming for the road and rushed to the scene to find the two children had drowned in the tank.
The grandmother fainted at the scene and had to be administered first aid to regain consciousness.
Residents said they attempted to save the lives of the two children but were unsuccessful as they had already died when they were first spotted.
They said they were forced to drain the full tank that had been filled to the brim by the recent rains to get to the children out but that it was too late.
They called for parents to keep an keener eye on children now that schools have closed for the April holiday.
by ALICE WAITHERA
