Grief as student drowns in Lake Victoria during music festival

Grief has engulfed a family after their son drowned in Lake Victoria in Mbita Sub-county.

The victim identified as Levis Ouma, a form Four Student at Nyalenda Secondary School in Rachuonyo South Sub-county, died in the tragic incident.

The 19-year-old student met his death when he was in a mission to perform in this year’s Homa Bay County Music Festival at Mbita High School in Mbita Sub-county.

Ouma arrived at the music festival venue with other students and teachers where they performed before they left for an excursion on the shore of Lake Victoria.

The students were eager to visit the lake since their school is situated about 80km from Mbita Town.

Mbita Sub-county Police Commander Nathan Sanya said preliminary investigations revealed that Ouma and other students went to swim in Lake Victoria before they were overwhelmed by the waves and drowned.

A teacher at of Nyalenda Secondary School reported the matter to police.

“There were no visible injuries on the student’s body. We have launched investigations into the incident,” Sanya said.

The body was moved to Mbita Sub-county Hospital Mortuary.

Recently, a 40-year-old security guard drowned in Lake Victoria, while two others were rescued when a structure in which they had sheltered while guarding fish cages was blown off by strong winds on Saturday night.

Caroline Barnabas drowned near Alero beach in Mbita Sub-county.