The festive season is meant to bring joy and glad tidings as families gather together to celebrate and exchange gifts. However, this was not the case with one family in Butula, Busia county.
On the fateful day, a seven-year-old boy who was learning how to swim at an open dam near Nyapera market, ended up drowning.
Speaking to the press, area Member of County Assembly Kubasu Nyongesa passed condolences to the family reiterating that safety measures will be put in place to eliminate future danger.
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“We are going to avail funds for construction of a perimeter wall around the dam to ensure that the lives of our young ones, among others, are protected,” Kubasu said.
He urged parents to watch the movements of their children to ensure they are safe wherever they go, adding, the county government will move swiftly to compensate the bereaved family.
“As leaders, we are committed to the welfare of our residents, and are going to do all it takes to ensure such scenarios don’t repeat in the future, even as we look for ways to exploit the dam as a source of revenue,” Kubasu added.
Everline Awori, aunt to the deceased, expressed her disappointment saying the young boy had just joined Junior Primary School and his family had high prospects in him.
“I am at pains on how I will divulge the information to his mother who is my younger sister because this is her first-born child, '' said Awori.
She added that her sister, a high school teacher, had left the boy with her since she had gone to mark the recently concluded KCSE exams.
“It is quite unfortunate to have lost such a young life in circumstances that could be avoided,” Awori said, indicating that area residents had complained before about the water body being dangerous to children, but no action had been taken by local leaders.
Her sentiments were echoed by Mercy Awino, a cereals seller at Nyapera market, who said the dam needs to be filled up with stones since it attracts schoolchildren due to its proximity to a nearby school.
“Many learners are attracted to the dam to either swim or learn fishing. This is dangerous especially in the absence of mature people to guide the children,” Awino said.
She reiterated that the water body was of no value to the community, but rather a threat that needs to be dealt away with.
“We have never experienced the economic value of the dam despite the fact that it has some fish,” added Awino, saying it should therefore be reclaimed to eliminate the risk of drowning especially for children.
