When we talk about the heroes of this country, only big names such as the Kapenguria Six or maybe sports figures come to one's mind.
However, there are other unsung heroes who are totally forgotten, in fact, most of them are never brought to the limelight. In Githurai 45, there is one man who has saved many people from drowning in a dam located along the Thika superhighway.
Wahome Njoroge, who resides in Githurai, is considered a hero in the area due to the number of lives he has saved.
Wahome recalls he undertook his first rescue mission when he was a standard six pupil.
"Incidence ya kwanza kurescue mtu ilikua class six, tulikuwa tumehepa chuo tumeenda kuogelea kwa dam ilikuwa inaitwa Kiangome. Beshte yangu mmoja akadrown nikabaki nimejikakamua nimemtoa (I was in class six the first time I rescued someone from drowning. We skipped school and went swimming at Kiongome dam. One of my friends almost drowned and I had to do my best to rescue him)," he recalls.
On September 25, 2018, a 14-seater matatu plunged into the same dam, killing six people. Eight passengers were, however, rescued by a group of youth led by Wahome.
"That day I rescued eight people who were still alive before two of them died later on," said Wahome.
A resident in the area notes that besides lacking proper diving gear, Wahome faces several other difficulties when carrying out his rescue missions.
"Student mmoja alijaribu kujiua hapa, Wahome kujaribu kumtoa akamua kidole, kutoka hio siku hiyo kidole ime dislocate (Wahome's finger dislocated after he was bitten by a student who tried committing suicide by drowning himself in the dam)," said the resident.
Wahome says in most cases he is called upon to retrieve bodies of people who have drowned in the dam, the majority of who are school children who visit the dam during holidays.
Wahome is reported to have saved over 70 people from drowning in the dam. He, however, notes that he has never received any payment for his heroic acts, as he volunteers without expecting anything in return.
Wahome who works at a car wash near the dam says he desires to work as a search and rescue volunteer diver in one of the NGOs in the country.
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