Man, 65, dies in Kirinyaga floods as several displaced

Jackson Gitari, a resident of Kiuria village in Nguka Location, Thiba Ward, Mwea West Sub-county, drowned while fetching water from River Kanaro near a rice farm on Wednesday.

His body was later recovered more than four kilometres downstream at an area known as Unit 14 after a search involving local residents.

Villagers from Kangiciri, Kiuria, Ndorome, and surrounding areas, led by the deceased’s sister Lucy Wanjiku and cousin Lucy Wambui, participated in the search.

Some residents linked the incident to the consumption of an illicit brew known locally as “kangai kwigaca,” claiming it has contributed to increased drowning cases during the rainy season.

The incident comes as several parts of Kirinyaga County continue to experience flooding. On Monday, floods affected Ngomongo village in Mutithi Ward, Mwea, displacing residents.