Felix Otieno, father of four children who drowned in an abandoned quarry in Kudho area, Kisumu Central Sub-County, has recounted the harrowing events that led to the tragedy.
In a gut-wrenching account, on Tuesday, February 11, 2026, Otieno explained that his children had never gone near the quarry to fetch water, as they normally used a tap at home. He said he was shocked when he saw them at the hazardous site.
“Sasa jana nilikua na wao hawaendagi kwa quarry kujiogelea. Ata jana nilishangaa walikuja aje hapa wanachotanga maji hapo kwa mfereji waoge, saa zingi wanachota hapo kwa kisima,” he said
Last instructions
The father recalled that on the day of the incident, he had instructed his children to bathe before leaving the house to go to a nearby area, not realising it would be the last time he would see them alive.
“So jana niliwaachia ripoti waoge, so wakaenda nikaona wamechukua vibuyu wameenda kuchukua maji. So Mimi nikaenda side za Obunga,” he recalled.
Later in the evening, he received a distressing call from his father alerting him that the children had fallen into the quarry.
“So nikiwa uko nikapigiwa simu na baba akaniambia ebu kimbia hapa kunakitu imefanyika. Nikamuuliza nini, akasema kimbia watoto wameingia kwa maji,”Felix said.
Otieno rushed to the scene on his motorcycle and found that one child had already been removed from the water, while three others remained trapped.
He recounted that, despite frantic efforts and the help of local residents, all four children were eventually rescued from the quarry, but tragically, they had drowned.
Broken and grieving, he appealed for community support and prayed for strength, hoping God would bless him with more children in the future.
Government response
In response, Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o ordered the immediate suspension of all quarrying activities in the county, including murram and sand harvesting, until operators meet strict safety and environmental standards.
He directed the County Department of Environment, together with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Office of the County Commissioner, to form a multi-agency task force to audit all quarries, enforce compliance, and take legal action against operators breaking the law.
“No mining or quarrying activity shall be permitted to operate without a clearly approved, time-bound land rehabilitation and restoration plan to ensure that excavated sites do not remain hazardous to the public,” he said.
Governor Nyong’o emphasised that no quarry should operate without a clear land rehabilitation plan to prevent hazards.
