In a heartbreaking turn of events, eight individuals who had attended the 14th Anniversary celebration of the Joyful Women Organization (JOYWO) at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on Thursday tragically lost their lives after drowning in a swollen River Muooni while on their way home.

Red Cross officials in Makueni County confirmed the unfortunate incident, which took place at 11:00 pm on the Kavuthu-Mutyambua Road. The victims had been returning from the event organized by First Lady Rachel Ruto.

An area correspondent revealed that the guests, some of whom were relatives, attempted to cross the swollen river after the bus driver refused to ferry them due to the dangerous conditions. Despite continuous warnings about the risks involved, the eight individuals joined hands and attempted to cross the river together.

Area chief Norman Musyoki confirmed the incident and expressed concern that the death toll might rise. Eyewitnesses reported that the victims, overwhelmed by the raging waters, were sitting on a log in the middle of the river when a sudden swelling swept them away.

Emergency services were swiftly deployed to the scene to retrieve the bodies, but so far, only two have been recovered. The exact number of passengers on the vehicle, as well as the total number of survivors, remains unconfirmed.

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. expressed condolences to the families of the victims, highlighting that this tragedy follows another incident nearly a fortnight ago where three people drowned in the same river.

The Joyful Women Organization (JOYWO), founded by First Lady Rachel Ruto in 2009, aims to empower women economically through financial inclusion and skills development to meet their basic needs. The anniversary event, attended by thousands of JOYWO members, had notable guests such as President William Ruto and Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi.