CO Gladys Kivoto Joins Mourners in Emotional Send-off as Two Young Brothers Are Laid to Rest After Tragic Quarry Drowning in Ikutha
Kitui South Incoming MP and Chief Officer for Agriculture & Fisheries Hon. Gladys Mami Kivoto on Saturday joined hundreds of mourners during the emotional burial ceremony of two brothers who tragically drowned in an open murram quarry at Ndili Village in Ikutha Sub-county, Kitui South Constituency.
The emotional ceremony, held on March 14, 2026, brought together students, teachers, parents, local leaders and residents who gathered to pay their last respects to the two boys whose deaths shocked the community.
The two brothers, Samuel Ndungi Muoka, aged 14, a Grade 7 pupil, and Stephen Muoka, aged 12, a Grade 5 pupil, were both students at Ndili Comprehensive School. The boys met their untimely deaths on the evening of March 6, 2026, after drowning in a murram quarry that had allegedly been left open and unprotected by a contractor undertaking works along the Ikutha–Kanziko road.
During the burial, the boys were eulogized as bright, disciplined and hardworking students who were also talented in sports. Teachers and community members described them as obedient children with promising futures, noting that their sudden deaths were a devastating loss to their parents and the entire community.
Addressing mourners during the burial, CO Kivoto expressed her deep condolences to the grieving family, saying the tragedy had shaken the entire community of Kitui South. “It is heartbreaking to lose such young and promising children in such a tragic way. My thoughts and prayers are with the Muoka’s family during this very difficult time,” she said.
CO Kivoto pledged to support them through her office in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. “As the Chief Officer for Agriculture, this coming Monday I will provide a ploughing tractor to help prepare their land, and in my personal capacity I will also provide seeds to support planting for this family,” she said.
The burial was also attended by a county government delegation led by Finance CECM Peter Mwikya Kilonzo, popularly known as Tangawizi, Water CECM Peter Nkuda, and political advisor Mwangu Ivuti, who represented Kitui Governor Julius Malombe.
Also present was Ikutha MCA Hon. Hussein Mwandia, alongside teachers, parents, students and local administrators.
Leaders who spoke during the ceremony called for justice and compensation for the bereaved family of the two boys. They also urged contractors to ensure they observe safety measures.
The tragedy has raised concerns among residents over the dangers posed by unprotected quarries and construction sites, with the community calling for stricter safety enforcement to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Ends///
