A police officer drowned while attempting to cross a swollen river on a wooden bridge in Kapsiliot village, Elgeyo Marakwet County. Constable Justine Kirui, 48, who was attached to Miwani Police Station, was off duty and reportedly heading home after visiting a relative when the incident occurred on April 22. His body was discovered hours later, floating in the Moiben River.
Locals who spotted the body retrieved it and later identified him. Police said Kirui likely slipped while crossing the bridge and hit rocks beneath the water, causing head injuries, with blood seen oozing from his nose. The body was moved to a local mortuary pending an autopsy. Authorities have launched investigations into the incident and warned the public to avoid flooded areas as cases of drowning rise due to ongoing heavy rains. In Nairobi, at least six people lost their lives following intense downpours on April 21, which also left many in Mathare and Mukuru slums displaced.
