James Okinyo, a 21-year-old Form Three student described as a hardworking and friendly young man, left his home for a 200-metre walk with three friends to a communal tethering ground across River Yala.
The task? Simple
To cross River Yala using a boat, untether the family herd of cattle and let them cross over the river as he and his friends paddle their way across the river back to their home.
On Satuday 24th of May, 2025, James seemed full of life and had spent his entire day at home and as always, on his family farm as he loved farming so much and had even shown interest in pursuing agriculture.
At 7pm, without showing any signs of premonition, their boat was overturned by the raging waters and that was the last time he was seen.
He drowned
The family, on receiving the news that left them devastated, immediately started the search rescue but as the night grew, so did the darkness.
As per the luo customs, the families involved in the tragic incident abandoned the comfort of their home to camp at the river bank with the hope of finding the body of their kin and accord it a decent burial.
One day led to the other
On the 27th day of frantic searching, TV 47 visited the scene and spoke with the family regarding the countless of challenges they were experiencing, their plea to duty bearers and their plans but one thing was evident-their unwavering hope of finding the body of their kin and according it a decent burial.
In the first interview, the family had experienced fear, following unidentified bodies they saw flowing along the river towards lake Victoria and wanted police to look into the matter. They had also requested the county government for financial and technical assistance as they did not have enough funds to support the search and retrieval mission but the most crucial appeal they voiced was the construction of a new bridge to help avert future disasters.
One week later, no response was granted as their pleas fell on deaf ears. Not even the alleged unidentified bodies attracted a single strand in the security web.
The family, having run out of resources has decided to officially end the search and retrieval mission on Friday 28th of June and proceed for a symbolic burial on Saturday 28th of June at their family home in Andiwo village, Bar Kanyango sublocation, Bondo subcounty in Siaya county.
“We have toiled, day and night but our efforts have not yielded. Our resources, are depleted and if not for the love of this community, we wouldn’t have stretched this far,” said Monica Atieno Okinyo in a sombre mood.
“Maybe we would have done better if we had leaders but seemingly, those that we thought we had, work selectively and now, we will have to call it off and carry on with a burial in line with traditions” she added.
According to the luo traditions, a banana trunk is buried when a kin drawns and is never recovered.
“I initially held on to my faith because I was certain we would retrieve the body of my son but as it is, we have not,” Said Joanes Okinyo Mganda, father of the deceased.
“We want closure and am okay with the decision but even as we prepare to burry a banana trunk this Saturday, I still insist that a bridge has to be built so that the rest of us do not perish like my son.” Joanes added.
A lot of questions continue to emerge as to which family could be queued for such a disaster, could the bridge take longer to build. The villagers’ curiosity also continues to build over the deafening silence of the police, concerning the identities of the unidentified bodies found during the painful search that was never successful.
Written by James Okoth
