After finishing up prayers and mass at St. Patrick's Ngata Catholic Church on Tuesday, (September 3) Sammy Kipkemei Tarus decided to retire to his home.

Sammy hoped onto his motorbike, and rode past Ngata bridge, Baraka Estate and Soilo all the while braving the heavy rains plummeting Nakuru at the time.

Indeed, he navigated his way carefully through the heavy down pour but when he reached the Eveready Roundabout the raging waters that had collected on the road proved to be too much for him to handle.

Unfortunately, he lost control of his motor bike, falling into the waters that swept him and his motorbike away.

The body of the 52-year-old catechist was retrieved a few kilometres away from Technology farm.

Cyprian Kiplagat, Sammy’s son narrates how he got worried when his father did not show up at home by 9pm.

Cyprian Kiplagat, son to Sammy Kipkemei Tarus who was swept away with floods and his body later found on September 4, 2024.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

“That night I was scrolling through a WhatsApp group when I saw a photo of a motorcycle that looked similar to that of my father. When I inquired from the individual, he told me that the owner of the motorcycle had been swept away by floods and that he was missing” he says.

Cyprian left the house together with other family members and quickly headed to where the search was being conducted.

“When we reached at the scene we found police officers. We were hopeful that he would be found alive. However, at around 1 am our worst fears were confirmed when they were able to retrieve his lifeless body,” he shares.

Recently, Nakuru county has witnessed cases of drowning due to the heavy rains in the region.

On May 8 this year, two sisters from Nessuit Location, Njoro sub-county drowned while trying to cross the Ndarugu River as they were going to their farm.

Faith Cheptoo,17 and Sharon Chepng’etich 15 were attempting to cross the river by stepping on the rocks which is a shortcut instead of using the bridge.

The bodies of the two sisters were found four days later, four kilometres from where they fell.

Another case was that of Calvin Kipkurui a three-year-old who went missing on the afternoon of August 21 and was suspected to have drowned in River Molo.

The Nakuru Town West, Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Omar Ali during an interview with the media, confirmed the incident of Sammy Kipkemei Tarus and urged residents to take caution and stay safe during this rainy season.

Body of missing three-year-old found in Molo River

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Leleti Jassor