Grief has befallen Emukaba Village in Lurambi Constituency, Kakamega County, following the untimely death of a man after a cow accidentally crashed him inside a well he was digging.
The cow, which was grazing near the pit, accidentally slipped and fell inside, killing Gordon Oningu Shivoko, 46, on the spot by crushing his head.
“I saw the cow become restless as it was feeding around the area, and kept jumping up and down. Unfortunately, it slipped and fell inside the pit that the man was digging,” said Mary Khasiala, the owner of the home where the incident happened.
Mr Shivoko was retrieved from the pit by residents, but he was pronounced dead after being lifted out.
“Both the cow and my son died. The cow fell, crashing his head, and breaking his limbs,” said Tabitha Etemesi, the mother to the deceased.
Confirming the incident, area Assistant Chief Scholarstica Olando said that the deceased was taken to Kakamega mortuary.
“This is a very unfortunate incident. I ask residents to use safety precautions whenever they are engaging in certain activities to avoid accidents,” said Olando.
As per the Watsotso traditions of the man’s tribe, the cow cannot be slaughtered for meat.
“The cow will be cut off with its skin, and its meat distributed to dogs or buried. People are not allowed to eat the meat because such an omen will befall the community again,” said Gilbert Mwakali, an elder from Emukaba Village.
Rose Masibo is a talented journalist who writes light-moment, celebrity, entertainment and current affairs stories for the Western Kenya Times.
