Narok County Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu has stepped in to intensify search efforts for two men swept away by floods when their vehicle plunged into the Mara River. The incident occurred on Sunday, February 22, and the men remain missing. Local residents have complained about the poor condition of the Mararianta bridge, blaming the governor for failing to rebuild it.
The incident happened when a Land Cruiser vehicle, carrying a driver and a passenger, plunged off the Mararianta bridge into the Mara River following heavy rains in the area. Governor Ntutu stated on his social media accounts on Thursday, February 26: "I am currently at Mara Rianta to lead the search and recovery efforts for the two young men whose vehicle was swept away by the Mara River floods this past Sunday night."
Rescue teams have been deployed to the scene since the incident, but the operation has not yet succeeded in recovering the bodies or retrieving the vehicle from the river. However, the governor's presence met resistance from locals, who accused him of neglecting their concerns.
Residents say the bridge is in a deplorable condition and claim it was built during the colonial era with little to no meaningful upgrades since. One resident stated: "We have said as the people of Transmara that we need the governor to begin the construction of this bridge. It was constructed by the colonialists. We need solutions." They allege the county government has repeatedly allocated funds for the bridge's development, yet nothing has been done.
The Mararianta bridge connects Transmara and Narok towns, and locals are calling for its improvement, noting that the river has claimed local lives in the past. This incident follows another in Narok County, where a bridge linking Trans Mara South and North was destroyed by floods, eroding a large section and making the road impassable between Kilgoris and Logorian.
Following that event, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) announced it had sent contractors for temporary repairs to allow motorists to resume operations on the route. Heavy rains have impacted much of the country, causing floods and bridge damage, and the Kenya Meteorological Department has warned of more heavy rains in the coming months.