By Odhiambo Jerameel Kevins Owuor
Worth Noting:
- The scenes at the said beach where my friends were taking their boat ride reveal how water safety isn’t a priority. The boats from my view are unworthy and made using indigenous knowledge which I think have served past their ‘expiry’ date. As well there isn’t a sight of life jackets at all.
- In fact when the bodies of my three friends were brought from the lake those who removed them had no protective gears that made me wonder whether safety is a genuine concern unto them.
- By the virtue that accident happened and the response was slow also illustrate how the emergency response is damn poor. Enough of me ranting. How can the situation be corrected?
31st of December 2022 never ended as expected. I was in church the whole time and I went back home at 6pm and on reaching my good friend Brian Ombati calls me and informs me that there is a boat which has capsized and so far three bodies are missing including that of my friend Zavon Mainga Hezron. Ombati told me to pray such that their bodies can be found safe and sound. By the virtue that my countryside place is next to River Sondu Miriu and I know of water related accidents and deaths. I was of the opinion those folks couldn’t be found alive.
In fact those whom I called after talking to Ombati I informed them that ‘I think Zavon is dead.’ It was really shocking for I had talked to Zavon on 30th of December 2022. He had informed me of the plans he had for the year 2023 regarding is personal finance, spirituality, finances, social life name it. We had made plans of meeting once he was from mission for he was in Busia for a two week evangelistic campaign as a member of University of Nairobi Seventh Day Adventist Group commonly referred to as Uonsda. Unfortunately he never lived to see 2023. I am still devastated, shocked and disheartened.
Here is what ideally happened. I am informed that after baptism which was conducted by Pastor Willis of UONSDA. The students decided to take a boat ride just for fun. In the process of them taking the boat ride one of the boats started sinking for it seems that the capacity of the boat was exceeded. They were about seven in the boat. The boat then capsized and four persons including the local who was with them were rescued. Unfortunately three persons namely John Meraba, Hezron Mainga Zavon and Mordecai Amayo bodies as of 31st of December were missing. The incident happened at Mulokoba Beach in Port Victoria.
On that particular night of 31st I couldn’t sleep. I kept on reminiscing the events and trying to make peace with the fact that my friend is dead yet the previous night we talked and he was bubbly and jovial. My oh My!!!!!!!!!!! My friends whom I informed the same as well weren’t were at peace. Nobody saw it coming unfortunately it happened. The bodies of three bodies were found on 1st January 2023. On 1st of January one media house captured the event with the title ‘Three University of Nairobi Students Die in Lake Victoria.’ The bodies were found separately. Zavon and Meraba bodies were found first and Amayo’s body was found later. It was tragic for the folks who went to mission with them. Regardless, the three died and they are going to be buried this week starting with Zavon.
The whole event to me seemed like some movies somewhere am yet to recover from what happened. I am still struggling. I am not at peace. I cannot concentrate on doing my work or even my academics. Zavon was very dear to me and I can’t imagine how life is going to be without him. Maybe, just maybe the omnipresent and omnipotent God knew why those three folks couldn’t see a new year.
When I went to receive the other students who had gone for mission my friends Elder Allan Ooko and Elder Brian Otieno Odiwuor did implore me to pen something on what happened. It took me long to just sit down and write this article for memories we had with friends is still vivid in my mind. Generally speaking, there is concern on water safety in Lake Victoria shores. Just maybe just maybe had the divers went to the scene on time the death of three colleagues could have been rescued. I choose not to pursue that path. I am just concerned with how safety can be enhanced to prevent a similar occurrence from happening.
The scenes at the said beach where my friends were taking their boat ride reveal how water safety isn’t a priority. The boats from my view are unworthy and made using indigenous knowledge which I think have served past their ‘expiry’ date. As well there isn’t a sight of life jackets at all. In fact when the bodies of my three friends were brought from the lake those who removed them had no protective gears that made me wonder whether safety is a genuine concern unto them. By the virtue that accident happened and the response was slow also illustrate how the emergency response is damn poor. Enough of me ranting. How can the situation be corrected?
There is need for the boat operators to acquire life jackets. This can be done in harmony either with the county governments or donors. Life jackets are vital. Life jackets are designed to keep you afloat in water. They will automatically turn you into a face-up position, keeping your mouth and nostrils clear of the water to prevent the risk of drowning. This is particularly important if, for any reason, you are unconscious when you fall into the water. As a rule the various boat operators and fishermen should take it as an individual responsibility to ensure that each and every person operating in the waters has a life jacket. This will help save a life.
Secondly, for the counties covered by Lake Victoria disaster management should be a concern. Divers should be employed at the various beaches. These divers are also part of the wider disaster management team. Water accidents aren’t stuffs one can be able to predict it happens without one planning for the same. Thus, the divers should be at the beaches such that in case of any emergency they respond as fast as possible. Waiting for divers for a whole one hour to get to scene of accident is baffling really. Emergency response should be quick so as to save lives promptly There is need to finance human resource and other related resources to enable efficient work of divers and others safety officers along the lake.
The boats used should be worthy. The boat operators can form cooperatives to enable them acquire affordable modern day boats which are suitable for our modern day and age. The various County Governments should be at the fore front to ensure compliance with the same. Safety of human beings comes first at any case. For if you are dead you can’t enjoy what is a reserve of the living. Devolved units should be keen to ensure the safety of those using the boats. As you are reading this, I am attending the memorial services of my three friends and travelling tonight for the burial of my good friend Zavon Mainga Hezron who will be buried on 11th just a day to what could have been his birthday; Amayo is to be buried on 12th that’s on Thursday and lastly Meraba is to be buried on Friday.
This week definitely is too disheartening!!!!! In memory of my three departed friends I wrote this. Till then…………………………………………………
Odhiambo Jerameel Kevins Owuor is a law student at University of Nairobi, Parklands Campus. He comments on social, political and legal issues in equal measure.
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