2 brothers drown in Kilifi dam as swim turns tragic

Family spokesperson Jerald Mangale said the children decided to go swimming in the dam while heading home with their schoolmates. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • They attended Mwakuhenga Primary School - Lucky Chimera, 10, was in Standard One while eight-year-old Leonard Masoud was in nursery school.
  • Family spokesperson Jerald Mangale said the children decided to go swimming while heading home with their schoolmates.

Two brothers drowned in a dam at which they had gone to swim in Mnarani Location, Kilifi North Constituency, on Friday afternoon.

The two were the children of Ndegwa Mwadudu and Rehema Kazungu, who lived in Mwakuhenga village.

They attended Mwakuhenga Primary School - Lucky Chimera, 10, was in Standard One while eight-year-old Leonard Masoud was in nursery school.

SWIMMING

Family spokesperson Jerald Mangale said the children decided to go swimming while heading home with their schoolmates.

“One of the pupils came and told us that Lucky and Leonard had drowned. We found good Samaritans who said one died while first aid was being administered and that the other's body was found later,” Mr Mangale said.

He said the dam formed on a water way due to the ongoing heavy rains.

“The dam is in someone's farm. It started as a small depression but expanded due to the rains. It is now a threat as it is in an open place and its sides are slippery."

TOO LATE

Neighbour Farida Kiti said the dam is a few kilometers from the boys’ home.

He said they were chased away from one dam but decided to try their luck at another.

“At the first dam they were spotted by a person who chased them away before they got into the water. A woman spotted them at the second dam but they had drowned by the time she reached them."

He said the woman slipped and nearly fell into the dam.

Majajani Mavueni Assistant Chief Anderson Juma confirmed the reports but did not give details as he is not allowed to speak to journalists.

The bodies were taken to Kilifi County Hospital mortuary.