Four siblings recovered in abandoned Kanyakwar quarry in Kisumu

Tragedy struck the Kanyakwar area of Kisumu Central sub-county on Sunday evening when four siblings drowned while swimming in an abandoned quarry. The victims, all sons of a local identified as Felix Otieno, were aged between eight and 15 years.

According to Kondele Location Chief Maurice Ajwang, the incident occurred at a site locally referred to as Kudho Dam, situated near Kudho Primary and Secondary schools. Preliminary reports indicate that the children had gone to the water-filled excavation to swim and play when one of them moved into a deeper section of the pit.

The boy reportedly began to struggle in the deep water, prompting his three brothers to attempt a rescue. However, the depth of the water proved too much for the group, and all four were overwhelmed. The locals who witnessed the struggle raised the alarm, but the siblings could not be saved in time.

Community members and first responders eventually managed to retrieve the bodies from the quarry after an intensive search. Kisumu County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo confirmed that the remains were moved to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations.

The site is a legacy of past extraction activities that left significant depressions in the landscape. Over time, these excavations have filled with rainwater, creating deep, unprotected pools. This specific quarry has been a point of concern for residents who have previously called for the refilling or fencing of such hazardous pits located within residential areas and near schools.

This incident highlights a persistent challenge in Kenya's construction and mining sectors regarding the rehabilitation of sites once materials have been exhausted. While the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA) requires developers to restore land and decommission quarries, many sites across the country remain open and hazardous long after operations cease.

In Kisumu, the National Construction Authority (NCA) recently intensified its crackdown on non-compliant construction projects, focusing on fencing and safety signage. However, the management of old, abandoned quarries often falls into a regulatory grey area between county government oversight and national environmental enforcement.

Local authorities have since issued a stern warning to parents and guardians in Kanyakwar and surrounding neighborhoods, urging them to prevent children from accessing open water bodies. Police have also launched a formal investigation into the circumstances of the Sunday evening tragedy.

The loss of four children from a single family has left the Kanyakwar community in shock. It has also renewed pressure on local leaders to address the dangers posed by the numerous "death traps" left behind by unregulated or poorly managed stone and soil harvesting activities in the region.