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Residents of Gituamba village in Gatundu North are still in shock after a 38-year-old man drowned at the famous Karimenu II dam.

The man identified as Samuel Kinyanjui is reported to have been alone on Saturday evening when he reportedly drowned as he was looking for a bridge to cross to the other ridge of Gathanji village to meet his brother.

The father of four who is also said to have been distressed could not swim to safety as the raging waters at the filling dam overpowered him resulting in his drowning.

He is said to have suffered anguish after all his three cows recently died mysteriously leaving him without an alternative source of livelihood.

Being the third person to have drowned since the Ksh24 billion project that is now supplying water to Ruiru and Nairobi areas was completed, irked residents protested the failure of the government to fence the water source.

Led by distraught Lilian Njeri Gichuhi who is a relative to Kinyanjui, the irate villagers took issue with the government for ‘lying’ that the facility would be entirely fenced, the failure of which has turned the project into a ‘drowning site’ for unsuspecting persons seeking to cross from one ridge to the other.

The unfenced facility, they said, has been a safety risk to them and has seen them discontinue their economic activities such as plucking tea in the morning over fears of drowning.

“We are disturbed that the government has completely failed to deliver what they promised. They came and told us that this dam would be fenced. It is now a year plus since it was completed yet nothing has been done,” lamented Njeri.

The thirsty locals who claimed to have no water in their taps despite the presence of the project revealed that the facility has also been posing danger to them as they try to fetch the precious commodity from the resource.

“We are angry because this is not the first person to drown at the dam. We no longer go about our businesses with ease over fears of meeting death here. The government must start telling the truth and commit to averting further deaths by way of fencing the project,” said Grace Njeri Mungai.

“If the government fails to fence this facility, we are determined to protest and unblock the water to start flowing downstream through the natural river. We cannot watch and wait for another incident of losing the life of a productive person,” Kenneth Njoroge, a youth said.

By the time of filing this story, residents were still calling on rescuers and divers from Kiambu County to help them retrieve Kinyanjui’s body.