KCSE candidate drowns as he washes clothes in L. Victoria

Locals gather at Lake Victoria's Sori Beach on November 3, 2019 where the body of a KCSE candidate was found floating. The student at St. Paul's Odendo Secondary had gone to wash his clothes when he drowned. PHOTO | IAN BYRON | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Tyson Sunga was a KCSE candidate at St. Paul's Odendo Secondary.
  • His body was found floating on the waters by a fisherman.
  • It was taken to Sori Lakeside mortuary for post-mortem examination.

A family in Nyatike, Migori County is mourning the death of their 19-year-old son who drowned in Lake Victoria hours before he sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.

Tyson Sunga, a candidate at St. Paul's Odendo Secondary, is said to have gone to wash his clothes at Sori Beach when the tragedy occurred.

Nyatike Sub-County Police Commander Stella Too told the Nation that the student left home on Sunday afternoon to the lake, only for his body to be later found floating on the waters by a fisherman.

EPILEPTIC

“He had gone to the lake for laundry. Unfortunately, he drowned in the process. Reports from the family indicate that the boy was epileptic and could have suffered a severe attack although the matter is under investigations,” she said.

The body was taken to Sori Lakeside mortuary for post-mortem examination.

Locals and police on November 3, 2019 carry away the body of KCSE candidate Tyson Sunga who drowned in Lake Victoria. PHOTO | IAN BYRON | NATION MEDIA GROUP

EXAMS

Meanwhile, the KCSE tests kicked off smoothly on Monday in Migori’s 278 examination centres.

County Commissioner Joseph Rotich said security measures had been put in place to ensure cases of malpractices are firmly dealt with if noticed.

“All the preparati0ns are in order and we are out to seal loopholes in this year’s examinations,” Mr Rotich.

A spot check by the Nation revealed tight scrutiny in centres where the 2018 examination results were cancelled over irregularities.

At Nyabisawa Girls High School for instance, candidates were upbeat that they will perform well in this year’s examination after last year’s results were cancelled over irregularities.

Most of the affected students are re-sitting their examinations at the school.