• Okoth, a father of nine, had worked at the mill since 1979.
• Widow Mary eulogised her husband as a person who loved his job and family.
Image: JOHN NALIANYA
An employee of Rai Paper Mill in Webuye was Sunday morning crushed to death by a machine he was operating at the factory.
Jorim Okoth, 64, who worked as a wind operator in one of the crushing departments, had just arrived for the day time shift when he was crushed by the machine. He died on the spot.
Okoth, a father of nine, had worked at the mill since 1979.
His colleagues described him as a dedicated, humble and outgoing person. They demanded that the management of the mill address conditions of work.
Vitalis Misache, a worker at the mill, said he was with Okoth on Sunday morning at 6am when he was reporting to work. Misache was going home after a night shift.
"We talked in the cloakroom, and he said he was fine. I left to take a nap in my house and at about 8am I received a phone call from a fellow worker who said that Okoth had died. I was shocked and rushed to the factory only to find it was true," he said.
Misache urged the factory management to assist the family Okoth has left behind.
Widow Mary Okoth said she was called by a friend who informed her of the death of her husband on the phone.
She said her husband had left home for work as usual, and she was shocked to hear he had died moments later.
"I rushed to the factory and was denied access by the management to see where my husband had died," Mary said amid tears.
She was speaking to journalists at Lugulu Mission Hospital where the body had been taken.
Mary said she got married to Okoth after he was hired by Rai Paper Mill.
She eulogised him as a person who loved his job and family.
She said none of her children is employed at the moment as the firstborn is in university. The rest are in secondary and primary schools.
Mary urged the government to intervene and assist her, so she can provide for her family.
"I want justice for my husband who died while on duty. He has left me with a huge burden and I don't know where to start," she said.
Rai Paper Mill management could not be reached for comment over the incident as they did not answer calls or reply to text messages.
Bungoma East police boss Valerian Obore said police have launched investigations into the incident. He urged residents to stay calm as police probe the matter.
A former employee of the mill called on Bungoma leaders to step in and ensure justice is served.
MCA Ali Machani urged Bungoma leaders to ensure the mill is returned to residents.
Machani asked President Uhuru Kenyatta not to allow the mill, which was a gift to western residents from his father Jomo Kenyatta, to be a burden to residents while he is still the head of state.
Edited by A.N