The Muguga community in Kiambu County is mourning the tragic loss of two Grade 9 pupils who drowned in an abandoned quarry on Friday afternoon. The boy and girl, both students at Muguga Primary School, met their untimely deaths after going swimming in the quarry following a school tree-planting activity held in celebration of Mazingira Day.
According to witnesses, the pupils had earlier taken part in the environmental conservation exercise at their school before being released to go home. Instead of heading back, they diverted to a nearby quarry to swim, unaware of the danger lurking beneath the still waters. The quarry, long abandoned and unfenced, quickly became the scene of tragedy as the two reportedly slipped into the deep section and were unable to resurface.
Residents and local divers rushed to the site in an attempt to save the students, but their efforts came too late. County emergency responders later retrieved the bodies as heartbroken parents, teachers, and fellow pupils gathered at the scene to mourn the loss.
Authorities have since called for increased vigilance from parents and stronger safety measures from quarry owners. Police confirmed that the pupils had left the school compound before the drowning incident, emphasizing the need for supervision of children after school activities. They also urged all quarry operators in Kiambu to fence off or rehabilitate unused sites to prevent further accidents.
The tragedy has reignited public concern over the growing number of abandoned quarries in the county, many of which have turned into hazardous death traps for unsuspecting children. Local leaders have now vowed to take action, with Ngecha/Tigoni Ward officials promising to identify and rehabilitate all abandoned excavation sites.
The two pupils, who were preparing to sit for their Kenya Junior School Certificate Assessment (KJSCA) exams, were remembered as bright and dedicated learners. Their sudden deaths have left the Muguga Primary School community devastated, with teachers describing the loss as a painful reminder of the dangers facing children in unsupervised environments.
As the community mourns, calls for stricter quarry safety regulations continue to mount, with residents demanding urgent government intervention to ensure such tragedies never happen again. The sorrow in Muguga serves as a somber lesson on the importance of child safety and environmental responsibility in Kenya’s growing quarrying sector.
