Family alleges negligence after 31-year-old drowns in Kitengela

Relatives of 31 year old Denis Mutunga gather outside Shalom Community hospital shortly after racing the autopsy report about their kin. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard

Police in Kitengela, Kajiado County, have launched an investigation into the drowning of a 31-year-old man during a corporate team-building event at a local recreational facility, as his family demands answers over alleged safety lapses and a broken surveillance system.

The deceased, Denis Mutunga, drowned at Nkasiri Adventure Park on Saturday. His body was retrieved from the swimming pool on Sunday afternoon following a report to the authorities.

Isinya Sub-County Police Commander Simon Lakitali confirmed the incident, stating that investigators are examining whether safety negligence or procedural failures contributed to the tragedy.

"It's true we received the report and dispatched our officers to retrieve the body. We are continuing with investigations to establish what caused him to drown," Lakitali said.

However, Mutunga’s family has raised serious concerns, alleging that crucial security measures were missing or compromised at the time of his death.

Caroline Musili, the deceased's cousin, questioned how an experienced swimmer could drown without staff noticing, pointing out that while other CCTV cameras across the facility were functional, the camera directly monitoring the pool area was mysteriously offline.

"Dennis was a master swimmer. We do not know how he drowned and died in such circumstances," Musili said. "As a family, we see this as a cover-up, and we also suspect negligence in the whole incident. Where was the lifeguard, or even a security officer, to guard the area?"

Speaking outside Shalom Community Hospital following a post-mortem examination on Wednesday, Mutunga's father, Isaac Mwaka, confirmed that the official autopsy report cited drowning as the cause of death. However, he urged homicide investigators to probe deeper into the events leading up to the drowning.

"We have been given the autopsy report, which indicated that my son died after drowning in the swimming pool. However, as a family, we urge the police to continue with their investigations and establish what exactly happened," Mwaka said.

Efforts by journalists to access Nkasiri Adventure Park, located 29 kilometers from Kitengela town, were turned away by security personnel.

When contacted by phone, the facility's security officer, Alan Mwema, denied any cover-up or negligence, asserting that the management is fully cooperating with the police investigation.

Police are expected to review the facility's safety compliance, examine CCTV logs, and interview witnesses to determine whether criminal negligence charges are warranted.