Written by Leonard Wamalwa 2012-07-31 14:40:00 Read 354 Times

A twelve-year-old boy died on the spot after he was struck by lightning in Keyo village of Kwanza district Monday evening while they had visited their grandmother after school.

The deceased was in the company of his 14 year old elder brother who was seriously injured. The two had visited their grandmother in Keyo farm before later proceeding home in neighboring Luhya farm.

Speaking to West FM the head teacher of Malomonyo primary school where the two Kevin Wanyama (Deceased) and Masika Wekesa schooled, Mr. Fwamba Khalakai said that the two were in classes two and four respectively.

“The two children were involved in the fateful incident at around 5pm at their grandmother’s home in Keiyo after they had left school and proceeded there to see her before walking yonder to their home in Luhya farm", the head teacher told West FM via a mobile phone.

He said the injured Wekesa was rushed to Kapenguria district hospital in West Pokot district where he is admitted and nursing the injuries while the body of the deceased is laid at their home in Luhya farm as preparations for burial are going on.

The incident occurs barely two weeks after another child of six years was also killed by lightning in Cherangani location of Cherangani constituency.

Even though the incidents did not happen at the victims respective schools, stakeholders in the education sector in Trans Nzoia County have called for a government’s initiative to have all public schools be fitted with lightning arresters to curb such incidences.

Nzoia county chairman Fred Kwanusu had recently told vice president Kalonzo Musyoka during a Wiper Democratic Movement rally in Kenyatta stadium that the government should move with speed to evade the looming disaster that faces thousands of children in public schools in the area which he said is prone to lightning.

Trans Nzoia county director of education Joseph Wamocho has also echoed the same and urged government and nongovernmental organizations including other well wishers and donors to come in and assist the schools to install the equipments as a precautionary measure to address the situation.

Wamocho further said that the ministry shall also start sensitization programs to educate stakeholders including teachers, pupils, parents and students on how to avoid such deadly incidents of lightning strikes that continue claiming lives.

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