A latrine caved in killing Kenneth Okwero, a  22-year-old man in Matayos Constituency, Busia County as he was repairing it. He was repairing the latrine together with his two colleagues, when the ground suddenly moved and he fell into the pit.

His workmates escaped death by a whisker. The men had been hired by the owner, Mr John Ouma, to work on the latrine which had been damaged by heavy rains.

Police officials who arrived at the scene moments after the incident happened said they suspected the heavy downpour may have weakened the foundation of the latrine.

County Government

The body was retrieved several hours after the horror incident happened by local residents and the disaster management unit from the County Govenment.

The victim’s mother, Ms Willimina Awory, described her son, the third born in the family, as a hardworking and obedient.

“I had just returned from school when I was informed that Ken had sunk into the latrine he was working on,” she said.

Assistant chief Stephen Ouma said the ongoing rains had damaged the foundation of structure to the extent that it was leaning backwards.

Shoddy work

“The owner of this home called the three to remove the slab on the roof which was destined to hold a water tank. Renovation works commenced after heavy downpour could not allow them complete by yesterday.

“Unfortunately, at around 10am the structure collapsed on one of the youth who was working from inside. The floor of the latrine and three sides of the walls also sank with the youth,” he said.

It is suspected that initial poor workmanship led to the collapse of the latrine, according to the administrator.