Tragedy in waiting: Learners risk lives crossing swollen river using slippery log in Bomet

Residents of Nyangores in Chepalungu Constituency, Bomet County, are asking the county government to urgently repair a bridge that continues to endanger the lives of students and pupils.

The bridge over Chepkulo River consists of a single slippery log that portends danger, especially during this rainy season.

The usually tranquil River Chepkulo has become a formidable barrier. Relentless rains have swollen its banks, turning it into a seething mass of water.

Allan Kiprotich, a student at the Kaplele Comprehensive School, makes the perilous journey every day. His search for education is fraught with danger; his only passage to school is the single, old log, riddled with rot and slick with moisture. The makeshift bridge, a relic of 1989, is now a death trap waiting to happen.

"Daraja imetusumbua sana juu tukikuja shuleni inabidi kwanza tukae hadi ikue mapema, so tunachelewa kwa shule,” Kiprotich, a student said.

"Daraja ilivunjika mwezi wa nne, watoto wetu sasa hawaendi shule."

"Kuna wakati ilianguka karibu iuwe watu,” a parent Stella Kirui noted.

Every morning and every afternoon, parents undertake the agonising ritual of escorting their children to and from school, as their hearts pound with each precarious step.

The situation is dire for the students and the entire community. Teachers witness the daily struggle and the impact it has on the children's well-being and their ability to concentrate on their studies.

"The destruction of the bridge—some learners are going for a long distance, some are going through Bomet, which is about 20 km away,” Kaplele School deputy headteacher David Korir stated.

Installed in 1989, this log was meant to be a temporary solution. Decades later, it remains the only link for this community—a stark reminder of promises unfulfilled and infrastructure neglected.

"Tumejenga na wazee wa zamani, contribution ya wazee, wengine wameleta miti, misumari kutoka siku hiyo hadi saa hii, hakuna usaidizi wa serikali,” an elder said.

"Daraja imeenda na mto na maji, sasa sisi tuko na taabu nyingi sana."

While the parents and older community members continue to watch over their young ones as they navigate the slippery bridge, they know that this is not a sustainable solution, given the danger that lurks beneath the bridge every day.

"Tunaomba serikali itusaidie haki, atusaidie kabisa,” the residents pleaded.

Their plea for a safe bridge is a desperate cry for help—a demand for their children's right to education without risking their lives.