Nakuru: Body Of 3-Year-Old Boy Who Died In Mai Mahiu Floods Recovered 40km From Scene

• Over 30 people are still missing following the nasty Mai Mahiu flooding disaster that claimed over 60 lives and displaced many people
• The body of a three-year-old boy was recovered a fortnight later, about 40 kilometers from the flooding scene
• Floodwaters swept through four localities in Mai Mahiu on April 29, in the course of the heavy torrential rains that hit the country at that time

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

It was a mixed feeling of reprieve and grief for Julia Wanjiku after the body of her son was finally found days after he was swept by floodwaters in the Mai Mahiu tragedy.

The raging waters swept through four localities in Mai Mahiu on April 29, killing over 60 people and displacing many others.

Named Isaac, Wanjiku's son was turning three when the tragedy befell.

Body discovered weeks after Mai Mahiu disaster

The boy's helpless father held him in the water on the fateful night until he was swept away.

Left behind with the family were hopes as they agonised over the location of their youngster's body.

The search for bodies is being undertaken by personnel from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), Kenya Red Cross Society and the National Youth Service (NYS).

But in Isaac's case, it was herders on the Nakuru-Kajiado border who came across his body on Tuesday, May 14.

The officers in the search mission received the body on behalf of the family; he will be laid to rest this Friday, May 17.

The memorial service of 30 victims was held in Naivasha, Nakuru county, on May 9.

Speaking at the function, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua explained that the national government would allocate KSh 300 million to house the victims of the floods.

The send-off of the victims was funded by the national and county governments.

Causing the calamity was a swollen reservoir in the Old Kijabe town which burst its banks.

The waters swept through the villages on the night of Sunday, April 28, killing tens of locals and displacing over 50 others.

Devastating flooding in Kenya

• The government data shows that as of Tuesday, May 14, a total of 289 people had been killed by floods
• The flooding disaster across the country was at its peak in the beginning of May, hampering reopening of schools for the second term
• Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua revealed the national government would allocate KSh 4 billion for the mitigation measures and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke