The body of a 13-year-old boy who drowned in River Ndarugu, Nakuru County has been retrieved after three days of searching.
Nakuru West Deputy County Commissioner Elmi Shafi said the boy identified as James Mugendi drowned in the river on Saturday.
Shafi said the body was retrieved on Monday afternoon by divers Nakuru and Bomet, together with firefighters and the county disaster management unit.
He said the divers managed to locate and retrieve the body in Lake Nakuru National Park, since there is a section of River Ndarugu that passes through the park.
The boy who was set to join form one next year, after sitting for his KCPE exam at Mwariki Primary School, is said to have slipped into the river while he was playing with other children.
Shafi said another boy, a six-year-old boy, also drowned in the same river on Thursday, and the police are yet to retrieve the body.
“The body of one of the boys who drowned in River Ndarugu was retrieved today (Monday) by divers from Mwariki,” said Shafi as quoted by Nation.
He said they have banned swimming in River Ndarugu, warning that they will arrest anyone caught violating the order.
Shafi urged parents to be alert especially during holidays, emphasising on the need to know the whereabouts of their children at all times to prevent such cases.
“There is an influx of children who are dangerously spending their holidays swimming in the river, and I urge the parents to ensure their children don’t go near the river,” he added.
The boy’s body was taken to Nakuru County Hospital mortuary.