"I'm still hoping that my son will be found. He was an extraordinary son and I don't have any other, just him," says Elizabeth Murugi Chesire, mother of David Kibet Chesire, an officer at Kamukunji police station who was swept away by the floods in Nairobi on Sunday.

The 33-year-old, whose body has not been found, drowned after rescuing four people trapped in the floods who were calling for help in Nairobi's central business district.

In his last phone call to his mother, he had hinted that he would be coming home this weekend with fertiliser and seeds to help during in the planting season.

It was only on Monday that they received the heartbreaking news that, despite his bravery, their son had tragically passed away.

Mrs Chesire remembers her son as an obedient child who died a hero.

"Nilipompata kijana wangu nilimpea jina David kwa kuwa nilijua yeye ni shujaa na atatenda mambo makubwa na hakika ametenda. Alikua mtoto mtiifu na alikua ukimuambia jambo anatenda bila kuuliza maswali yeyote na hakuna siku tulibishana na yeye," said Ms Chesire.

"Nafurahi sana kwa roho yangu kuskia my son aliokoa roho za watu wanne na kwa ajili ya hiyo atapatikana, namwambia Mungu asante kwa roho aliokua nayo ya kusaidia watu," she said.

Purity Chesire, David Kibet's sister.

Photo credit: Leleti Jassor/Mtaa Wangu

Purity Chesire, David's sister, mourns her brother as a hero who saved four lives while risking his own, noting that saving four lives was a daunting task that not many people today would be brave enough to do in such a situation.

"In today's society, it's hard to find someone as brave as Kibet. In such moments, people avoid danger, but my brother was brave enough to save those four souls whose lives were in danger, and that is still a big deal for us as a family. It is not easy to save so many lives," said Mrs Purity.

"Kibet called me on Sunday. We talked for a very long time which was abnormal, hua anapiga kwa muda mfupi. Alikua ananiambia kenye anatarajia kutoka kwa madada zangu, alikua anamention jina baada ya mwingine, akitaka mipango yake itimie kabisa. Akaniambia siz jitume hii maisha siyo ya kulala...jitume kabisa," she said.

The first born in a family of six, David, had a fairly nomadic childhood as his father's (Joseph Chesire) job required them to move from one school to another.

He completed his studies at Ngumboreti Secondary School in Mogotio in 2013, where he passed.

After finishing school, David hung out with his friends who, according to his mother, are mourning the loss of a social, very kind and loving friend.

"David alikua na roho safi ata marafiki zake wananiambia wamehuzunika kwa kupoteza rafiki mkuu aliyekua mpenda watu na very social," she noted.

David was lucky enough to go through the National Police Service recruitment process twice in 2016 - but unfortunately the government cancelled the process - and in 2017, when his luck bore fruit, he joined the service.

"Before joining the police service, David had gone through the recruitment process, twice, in 2016, but the government annulled the process and in 2017 when he joined and was posted to Vihiga, Kakamega County, he later got his second posting to Kamukunji Police Station, Nairobi."

Friends and family gathered at David Kibet's home in Rongai, Nakuru.

Photo credit: Leleti Jassor/Mtaa Wangu

According to Ms Chesire, his father wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of his son becoming a police officer because of the nature of the job, but eventually accepted it. She said she was happy that her son had secured a job and that things would change for the better at home.

The family is pleading with the government and other well-wishers not to give up hope and to continue the search for his body so that he can be given a proper send-off.

“Mimi na babake tumehangaika sana ndani ya roho zetu, tumekubali kijana ametuacha lakini tunahitaji mwili wake tuuone mara ya mwisho na tuufanyie heshima ya mazishi. Sasa naomba serikali msichoke, tusichoke, tuendelee kumtafuta huyu kijana, kama roho yake ilikua safi, na alifanya kazi mzuri tuendelee tu kumtafuta,” said Mrs. Chesire.

David Kibet Chesire is survived by his wife and two children, aged nine and four.

Back home in Rongai, missing hero cop swept away by floods was a man of the people

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Leleti Jassor