Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kericho Town.

Residents of Kapkondoo village in Tenlich sub-locations in Kipkellion constituency, Kericho County were in a mourning mood after burying four members of one family who were last Thursday struck dead by lightening were buried in a tearful send off last Sunday. The burial ceremony attracted hundred of mourners from the surrounding villages.

The thunderbolt left seven other people seriously injured and were all admitted at the nearby Londiani sub-district hospital.

Samson Arap Bii 38 who works as stonemason 4, two sons Leornard Kiprotich 6, and Dominic Kipchirchir and his one year old nephew Wesly Kiprono were struck by the lightning in their grass hatched house on Thursday night.

The late Mr Bii’s wife Rachel Bii who by late Sunday afternoon was still in a state of semi consciousness and at time relapse to unconsciousness told newsmen in his Hospital Ward bed that she was preparing tea for some visitors who had taken shelter in their house. She is the women group leader, and was also roasting green maize for her visitor, when she heard a loud bang. And thereafter she did not know what happened until she found herself in Hospital. Although the dead members of her family including her husband Mr Bii and two sons were being buried on the same day, she had no ideas to what happened to them. She suffered serious bodily burns.

Also hurt in the incident was Mr William Rotich who had called on the late Bii to have a word with him one some local family matters. Passerby who had taken shelter in the same house was seriously hurt and so were the people sheltering in the neighboring houses. Other had temporarily lost the use of their eardrums after the deafening thunderbolt.

A Kipkellion politician Josephat Koske has appealed to the community living art Kapkondo village and its environ to come to the assistance of Mrs Bii and her surviving children to regain the normal life. Residents and well wishers should donate generously to the family to enable them to erect a better house and start a new life. These were a natural calamity which is unavoidable and to which human being have got no control. “Ours is only to come to the assistance of the surviving members of the family.” Said Koske

THE Kipkellion MP Magerer Lang’at also expressed his heartfelt sympathy and condolence the family wishing the survivors quick recovery. He is also an Assistant Minister for Energy appealed to the neighbors to come to the rescue and help one another whenever such incident occurred.

So far close to eight people have died in various parts of Western Kenya ever since this season’s short rains started in late last month.

ENDS

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com