Three family members passed away in Mathare on Wednesday after raging floods marooned their house in Mathare.
According to reports, the family of Benna Buluma — a human rights activist and a mother — was submerged in the floods resulting in the loss of lives.
However, despite rescue efforts being mounted, attempts by first responders to retrieve the bodies of the three were not yet successful by the time of publishing this article.
Mathare area, where the family lived was one of the regions severely affected by raging floods with media reports documenting numerous instances of homes in low lying areas within the capital submerged in the flood waters.
The Kenya Red Cross mounted a search for flood victims and managed to rescue eighteen people in the Mradi area within Mathare.
“Eighteen people, including 11 adults and 7 children, have just been rescued by our Red Cross Action Team in Mradi, Mathare 4A, after becoming stranded due to floodwaters caused by heavy rains last night in Nairobi,” Red Cross communicated in a statement.
Human rights activists across the country have mourned Buluma stating that she fearlessly fought for the rights of her community.
“It is with sadness and a heavy heart, that I announce the death of Benna Buluma commonly known as Mama Victor, the Convener of Mothers of Victims and Survivors Network due to the ongoing floods.
“We have lost a gallant soldier who dedicated her life to advocating for police accountability. 3 bodies have been retrieved from the house and 3 are still missing”,
Buluma was the lead convener for the Mothers of Victims and Survivors Network started in late 2017. The organisation advocates for holding law enforcement authorities accountable.
The organisation documents cases of extrajudicial executions, forced disappearances, police brutality and other excesses.
Buluma started the organisation after two of her sons passed on in 2017 as a result of extrajudicial killings during the August elections.
