A sombre mood engulfed residents after a 24-year-old man who graduated recently slipped and drowned in River Molo while taking pictures with friends at Lelechwet village, Salgaa, Nakuru County.
Elvis Keter was with three friends, a man and two ladies when he fell into the river and drowned on Friday evening.
Alvis Ng’eno, his childhood friend whom they were together with before he drowned, said he received a phone call from one of the ladies who informed him that she was traveling from Nairobi and would like to meet them.
On arrival at around 5pm, the lady said she wanted to meet Keter.
Ng’eno and the two ladies later picked Keter at his home and proceeded to the water falls on the river.
“I received a call from Keter’s friend who requested to meet him, later, we decided to take a walk to the falls at the river,” he said.
The deceased took selfies at the falls before he handed the phone to one of the ladies to take more pictures.
However, while taking pictures, he slipped into the river and drowned at around 5.30pm.
Keter tried to swim to safety but was overwhelmed by fast flowing waters.
Locals responded to the trio's distress call but it was too late.
“Keter was taking pictures and after handing over his mobile phone, he slipped and drowned. We could not dive into the water after being stopped by locals,” said Ng’eno.
His mother Esther Wanjiru was overwhelmed by grief as she recounted the last moments she spent with him. He was the second born in a family of five.
Ms Wanjiru said she served his son with breakfast before leaving to operate her small business in Salgaa trading centre.
“I left my son taking breakfast with his siblings and went to open my business. Later at around 6pm, I received shocking news that my son had drowned,” she said.
Keter graduated from Kabarak University with with a Bachelor of Computer Science degree on December 16.
His mother described him as a social, humble, hardworking and responsible man.
On Christmas day, Keter, a youth leader at Salgaa Kings Outreach invited friends to their home and they dined together.
“It is sad that death has snatched my lovely son who was friendly and always encouraged other youths. He was a God fearing person,” said the mother.
Keter sat his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam at Boror primary school and scored 322 of an expected 500 marks.
He later joined Kongoi Secondary school where he sat his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2012 and scored B plain before proceeding to Kabarak University.
Keter had secured employment at Harco Limited, and was expected to report on January 4.
Ng’eno said the deceased was planning to travel to Nairobi on January 2.
“My friend was so happy after receiving notification for the job,” said Ng’eno.
His father, Henry Kilel regretted that he died at a prime age.
Kilel said he was with Keter at around 1pm, and they took lunch together before he went to meet his friends.
“I spent the day with my son only to receive a phone call that he had drowned. It is sad to lose him at a time I had much expectations of him,” said the father.
Local divers and those from Disaster department of Nakuru County are searching for the body.
Richard Chantoech asked the County Government to construct a bridge across the river to save lives.
“The government should find a solution to cases of drowning, for example establish a bridge and perimeter wall to restrict movement of people who visit to take pictures here,’ said the village elder.
Chepsion Location Assistant Chief Jon Keter asked locals to be keen when visiting the river to avoid deaths.
Keter said the river has water falls that attract locals during festivities.
“Locals should always be keen because this river is very deep and risky where several people have in the past died,” he said.
