A young man drowned in Lake Nakuru on Sunday evening during a fishing expedition that went amiss.
Nineteen-year-old Samuel Kimari was in the company of three other fishermen into the lake when their boat started being swayed by strong waves.
The three who managed to steer the boat out of the waters back to Mwariki area said their colleague panicked and jumped into the water in a bid to save himself.
Nakuru Town West Sub-County Police Commandant, Samson Gathuki said the incident was reported at about 10:00pm, Sunday when the survivors came ashore.
Gathuku said he deployed police officers to collaborate with fishermen in searching for the body.
Kimari’s uncle, Chief Elijah Njoroge said his nephew had been fishing since the activity started in Nakuru and had never had an incident.
“After their homes were marooned, my nephew started fishing for livelihood although he is not very good in swimming,” he said.
Njoroge said he received news of the incident at about 9:30 pm and immediately alerted Kenya Wildlife Service and the police.
“KWS has allowed the family and police to use five boats I the area where he drowned to help search for the body with the police overseeing the exercise,” he said.
A fishmonger, Jane Wanjiru said the search could only be conducted using the boats because the waters were not safe for divers.
”There are roots and fallen trees in the area where the man drowned and the divers risk being trapped under water,” she said.
The lake started swelling in late 2012 and has now covered grasslands and forested areas of Lake Nakuru National park and extended to people’s farms in Barut and Mwariki.
The communities started illegal fishing after their livelihoods were disrupted by the swelling lake.
Efforts by the police and KWS to stop the activities have proved futile.
