- The suspect was found in one of the victims houses on Monday evening.
- One of the neighbours who saw the suspect raised an alarm alerting the villagers who were nearby rebuilding the destroyed structures.
Image: The Star
An angry mob stoned to death a man who they accused of vandalising the house of one of the victims of the Mai Mahiu flooding tragedy that killed over 60 people.
Authorities on Tuesday said the death toll rose to 61 after another body was recovered from the scene.
The suspect was found in one of the victims houses on Monday evening.
One of the neighbours who saw the suspect raised an alarm alerting the villagers who were nearby rebuilding the destroyed structures.
The mob tied the suspects’ hands and legs and stoned him to death.
Police who arrived at the scene minutes later said they found the deceased half naked with a tie tied around his neck and a piece of clothes tied on both hands and legs.
The body had visible injuries all over and was taken to the Naivasha sub-county mortuary awaiting identification and postmortem.
The Mai Mahiu villagers were swept away by water after the Old Kijabe Dam burst causing massive flashfloods downstream.
Some 38 people are still missing after the tragedy that swept away homes.
Nakuru county commissioner Lyford Kibaara said the one body that was recovered on Monday was recovered in a mission being led by officers from the Kenya Defence Forces and National Youth Service.
The deceased include 11 male adults, 16 female adults, 18 male juveniles, 15 female juveniles and a human skull that is yet to be identified.
An autopsy is yet to be conducted on seven bodies even as the search continues. Multi-agency teams are camping in the area in search of about 50 people who are missing after floods swept their villages.
Some 238 people have so far lost their lives due to the ongoing heavy rains and resultant floods across the country.
The government says multi-agency teams drawn from the Kenya Defence Forces, National Youth Service and Humanitarian agencies had already hit the ground running to coordinate rescue efforts and provide essential help to the displaced people.
The new Chief of Defence Forces General Charles Kahariri visited the Mai Mahiu flood victims on Saturday.
He toured the area to assess the recovery process.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika was also at the site.
KDF and other agencies, including line ministries, departments, and agencies, were deployed to Mai Mahiu to enhance the search and recovery mission.
Gen Kahariri said KDF's role is also to sensitise the public in areas that are prone to more flooding and urge them to move to safer places.
“KDF has deployed varied capabilities and is working with the multi-agency teams to support the affected families, including those who have lost their loved ones,” Gen Kahariri said.
The Mai Mahiu tragedy occurred on April 29, 2024.
A tunnel situated on the hilly area of old Kijabe Road in Kiambu county accumulated water due to blockage along the Meter Gauge Railway and the increased water burst the soaked walls.