Grief has engulfed Shitungu Village in Lurambi Constituency, Kakamega County, after an electricity pole reportedly collapsed on a child who was playing with other children in the evening.
The tragic incident has sparked anger among residents, who are questioning why the pole was allegedly left in a dangerous condition despite concerns over its safety.
Speaking to our reporter, village elder Hussein Mung’oya said the tragedy could have been avoided, claiming the pole had been leaning dangerously for a long time.
“This pole had been leaning for quite some time, and Kenya Power officials have been visiting this area. We are saddened that it took the death of a child for the danger to become a reality,” Mung’oya said.
According to the elder, the incident occurred following a power outage accompanied by strong winds in the area, which reportedly caused the already weakened pole to collapse.Residents have now demanded answers from Kenya Power, seeking to establish why the pole was not repaired or replaced despite concerns about its condition.
They have also called for an immediate inspection of electricity infrastructure across the village, warning that other ageing or damaged poles could pose a similar danger to residents.
Photo|A resident retrieving the body of the child.
The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of electricity infrastructure in the area, particularly poles located near homes, roads and places where children frequently play.Authorities and Kenya Power are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine whether any safety measures had been raised before the tragedy.
Residents are calling for urgent action to ensure no other family suffers a similar loss.