ELDORET, Kenya, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Five Kenyan children died after a boat they were riding in at a popular amusement park capsized on Saturday in Uasin Gishu County, western Kenya.
The police said in a security report on Saturday night that the students from Arap Moi Primary School and their teachers went to the park for a boat ride on a man-made dam there when it capsized at about 5 p.m. "Five Standard Eight pupils died due to drowning, and one Grade Six pupil survived and has since been rushed to the hospital with low oxygen condition."
Angry parents of the pupils stormed the school, seeking to know the whereabouts of their children. The police said tensions remained high in the area and had forced the sub-county security committee to be summoned for an emergency meeting on how to handle the crisis.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu on Sunday appealed for calm and patience from the affected school, parents, and communities as investigations continue.
Machogu said in a statement issued in the national capital of Nairobi that he is working with relevant government agencies to ensure a thorough and conclusive investigation into the unfortunate incident.
According to the police, the pupils had ventured to the amusement park as part of preparations for the exams, which will begin on Monday. ■
