A family in Ilchamus ward, Baringo County, is in mourning after four of its members died in a boat capsizing incident on Kokwa Island on Sunday.
Jane Kikenyi's family is grieving the tragic loss of three children and their uncle, whose bodies were discovered in Lake Baringo on Wednesday, the third day of the multi-agency rescue operation.
Mourners have gathered at Kikenyi's home in Oldepe Isinya village to offer their condolences to the family. The deceased were among seven people killed when the boat capsized.
An emotional Kikenyi shared with Waza News her memories of her three children, Abigael, Ruth, and Martha Kikenyi, as well as her brother Denis, which she says she will cherish despite their passing.
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"I am filled with deep sorrow following the passing of my three children and brother. It was very painful to go to Kabarnet Mortuary," she said.
"We didn't expect this and the news came as a shock to us. Accidents can't be prevented but the whole village is mourning," Richard Leyele, a relative, said.
Kikenyi also claimed that her children, ages 14, 12, and 9, had a bright future and had the potential to lift her family out of abject poverty.
The family is now faced with the enormous task of covering morgue expenses and giving their loved ones a proper send-off.
"Our family is quite humble and we don't have the means to clear the bills. We want the government to intervene and help us," Sebastian Lipario, a family member, said.
The four family members were among 23 students on their way to church on Kokwa Island on Sunday when their boat capsized. The boat's propeller allegedly became entangled in a fishing net.
Following a three-day search and rescue mission by a multi-agency team consisting of the Coast Guard, marine police, Kenya Red Cross, and local divers, sixteen students were rescued, and the remains of seven students were recovered.
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