Residents in Kericho blocked a major highway on Sunday to protest the county government's failure to rescue a four-year-old boy who drowned in the Chemosit River four days earlier. They accused Governor Eric Muttai of negligence despite his local ties. The demonstrators demanded immediate action to recover the boy's body and provide closure to his family.
Protests broke out in Kericho on Sunday, October 26, 2025, as angry residents blocked the Litein-Kericho Highway, rendering it impassable for motorists. The demonstration targeted the county government for its delayed response to the drowning of a four-year-old boy in the Chemosit River. The child had slipped into the water four days prior while bending over to wash his feet, according to witnesses.
The protesters accused Governor Eric Muttai of negligence, noting that he hails from the same sub-county yet had not mobilized resources for the rescue. "His mother is struggling, and as Kericho residents, we call on the governor, the MP, and the MCA to send a rescue team to ensure that by the end of today, we have recovered the body of the boy," one resident lamented.
Another protester highlighted the lack of official support: "Since the boy drowned, we have had so many challenges. We have a county, but they have not sent divers; we are the ones doing it."
Motorists using the route expressed frustration over the disruption. "They have closed the roads, so we have been affected, so we are wondering why the government is not acting," a driver said. Another added, "We have enough security personnel, but none of them have shown up here, so we do not know what to do. We are wondering whether to go back to Kisii because we have not received any help so far."
This incident echoes previous unrest in the area. On September 17, residents of Kipsitet barricaded the Kisumu-Kericho highway following a road accident that killed six people and injured four others.
The protesters called for the county to intervene immediately to retrieve the boy's body and offer closure to his parents.