Body of Kirinyaga University student recovered from River Thiba after four-day search

The body of an 18-year-old Kirinyaga University student who drowned while swimming in River Thiba has been recovered following a four-day search involving residents and fellow students.

Gideon Ekai, a first-year student who joined the university in September, drowned on Sunday while swimming with a friend at Thiba Falls in Kirinyaga County.

His body was discovered on Wednesday evening at Kiamathatwa village, several kilometres from where he reportedly drowned, and was positively identified by his aunt, Esakon Ekal.

Residents said the river has become a popular attraction for university students, some of whom visit to swim while others go sightseeing despite repeated warnings about the dangers.

Chomba Ngahu, a resident, said locals have frequently cautioned students against swimming in the river, citing previous drowning incidents.

"We usually urge them not to swim but they don't listen. This is not the first incident," Ngahu said.

Simon Mwaniki Njoka, a fisherman along River Thiba, described the area where students frequently swim as particularly dangerous, warning that even residents familiar with the river avoid certain sections.

"We are locals in this area but we don't even swim where students are swimming. It is a beautiful place but they should avoid it," Njoka said.

According to Mwaniki, Ekai is the third university student to have drowned in the river, with another student's body reportedly recovered from the same area last year.

He expressed concern over the recurring incidents, calling for measures to restrict access to dangerous sections of the river.

"Last year we found another student here and it is very painful to see a student who had come all the way from Lodwar last month in September, only for his family to see a lifeless body," he said.

Mwaniki said some sections of the river are particularly hazardous due to deep waters and submerged tree roots, which pose a danger to swimmers.

Another resident, Joseph Warui, urged students to avoid swimming in the river, noting that some engage in risky activities around trees along its banks.

The body was retrieved and taken to Kerugoya Hospital Mortuary for a postmortem examination before being released to the family for burial.