Kericho: Grief as 45-Year-Old Woman Is Fatally Struck by Electricity While Cooking Breakfast

• A 45-year-old woman, Joyce Chepkorir, died in Serutut village, Belgut sub-county, in a suspected electrical accident while using a newly purchased cooking coil
• Her husband, Jackson Maritim, found her lying motionless around 9am, as neighbours noticed smoke coming from their home
• Shocked residents described hearing screams around 6am, with some saying they found Joyce’s body still clutching the cooking device
• Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, legal expert Joseph Wachira said electrocution victims can sue Kenya Power if negligence is proven

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Kericho - A quiet morning in Serutut village, Belgut sub-county, turned into a scene of grief after a 45-year-old woman lost her life in a suspected electrical accident while preparing breakfast.

Joyce Chepkorir, a mother and reportedly an employee at Unilever, had reportedly just begun using a newly acquired electric cooking coil when she suffered a fatal electric shock.

According to eyewitness accounts, she was in her bedroom in the early morning when the incident occurred.

Her husband, Jackson Maritim, found her lying motionless around 9am, triggering panic among family members and neighbours.

Her body was later moved to Sigowet Sub-county Morgue, where a postmortem is expected to confirm the exact cause of death.

Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, a Nairobi-based legal expert Joseph Wachira explained that victims of electrocution, or their families, may pursue legal redress against Kenya Power, but only under specific conditions.

He noted that for such a lawsuit to succeed, the complainant must prove that the utility company was negligent, for example by failing to properly insulate wires, using substandard materials, or not responding to reported hazards.

“In cases where electrocution is linked to exposed or faulty Kenya Power infrastructure, the law allows victims or their families to sue for negligence. However, if the incident occurred due to personal misuse of electrical appliances or poor wiring by private electricians, then liability may shift to individuals or manufacturers,” Wachira told TUKO.co.ke.

How did Joyce's neighbours get to know of her death?

As word spread, shocked residents streamed into the homestead, devastated by the sudden loss of a woman they described as hardworking and kind-hearted.

Gladys Chepkoech, one of the first people at the scene, recalled a neighbour telling Joyce’s husband about smoke coming from their house.

"When he went to check, he said the smoke was coming from Joyce's house. Then her husband came back. He went and asked him, ‘Isn’t it your house where the smoke is coming from?’ Then her husband told him that Joyce had been burnt; electricity had killed her," she explained.

Another neighbour, Evaline Nafula, said she was jolted from her sleep by an alarming scream just after 6am.

She revealed that at first she thought people were fighting, but upon getting out, she found Joyce's motionless body on the ground.

"I heard a scream at 6am and woke up from sleep. I was confused—were people fighting? What was going on? When I ran over, I found our neighbour lying on the ground. She was holding that thing like this," she said, mimicking the grip.

Rose Chelangat, a fellow resident, said the sight of Joyce's lifeless body was something she would never forget.

"I came here and witnessed what electricity had done. She’s a fellow hustler who works at Unilever. Now we don’t know exactly what happened because we didn’t see it unfold, but we found her body lying on the ground. I can only say pole," Chelangat said.

Police officers who visited the scene confirmed they had launched investigations to establish if the cooking device was faulty or if the incident was due to substandard electrical connections.

Kiambu man killed while crossing a fence

Elsewhere in Weru Muru, Lari, Kiambu county, a young man named Joseph Nene Wanjiku tragically died after being fatally struck by electricity while crossing a neighbour's fence.

Residents explained that the neighbour had installed the electric fence to deter livestock theft, which had been rampant in the area.

They emphasised that the neighbour did not intend harm and had kept the fence's electrification confidential to prevent alerting potential thieves.

Can Kenya Power be sued when a person is electrocuted?

Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) can be sued if there is evidence of negligence on their part.

In 2021, the utility company was ordered to pay KSh 22 million to the family of a little girl who was electrocuted while collecting firewood in Meru county.

Joy Mukami had her hand amputated after being struck by a KPLC live wire that was lying on the ground.

Through her mother, Ambrusina Makena Kiulio, she sued the company for negligence and won the case at the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Kenya Power's attempt to have the fine reduced failed, as the Court of Appeal held that the minor's injuries were permanent and she would live with the scars and trauma for the rest of her life.

Masolo Mabonga, HOD Current Affairs and Politics, updated this article with details on whether Kenya Power can be sued when one is electrocuted.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke