The County Government of Siaya has denounced claims by a section of the public that it has neglected the family of Tom Okwach, one of the Abimbo Mine victims yet to be rescued.

According to the county’s Chief Officer in charge of Governance and Administration Joseph Onyango, Siaya County Government approved a Sh6 million budget to help in Okwach’s rescue.

He also said the county government has continuously supported works at the Abimbo mining site.

“The county government has continuously supported the works at the site; the county disaster management committee sat down a week ago and came up with a budget,” Onyango said.

Okwach’s family said they have disposed of their possessions to afford fuel for the excavator helping in the rescue efforts.

Read More

  1. Key suspect in Siaya brazen cyber shop murder and robbery spree finally nabbed
  2. William Oduol now vows to lead charge against corruption in Siaya County
  3. Ruto Senators save William Oduol from ouster by James Orengo's Siaya MCAs

Okwach’s brother Steve Aliwa claims the family has already spent at least Sh300,000 for the rescue exercise but the efforts are yet to yield any fruits.

“That excavator is costing us a lot of money. We have already spent at least Sh300,000. We have sold everything we had in that home. I do not know where else we are going to get from,” Aliwa said. 

The family currently depends on well-wishers to fund the operations at the mine.

Okwach was buried alive together with seven other individuals on December 2, 2021. The other seven people were rescued successfully, but Okwach’s is yet to be rescued thirty-six days later.