A 12-year-old boy drowned yesterday morning while crossing Igoji's River Mutongaa on log-made footbridge. Lawrence Kathongo was on his way to look for a job at the quarries at Gikui when fell on the river.

Witnesses said Kathongo slipped and fell off the one log bridge into swollen river which claims lives every rainy season. A councillor in the area said divers from the quarries along the river recovered the the floating body.

"We managed to recover the body three kilometres downstream an hour later. The people living upstream informed those living downstream who waited for the body with ropes tied around their waists," said Kireria.

He said Kathongo's guardian warned him against crossing the river using the makeshift bridge. "This is the second incident to happen at the bridge. We have asked the local CDF to fund the construction of the bridge to save lives," said the councillor. The incident happens barely a month after another child fell off a quarry and drowned in a pool of water adjacent to the river.