Two children drown in Nyali pool during family vacation

The victims, aged 13 and 9, drowned in a swimming pool in Nyali. Their family had travelled from Nairobi for vacation when the incident occurred.

The family arrived at an apartment complex on Wednesday morning, eager to enjoy their holiday in Mombasa, but that joy was short-lived.

Their lives were irreparably shattered when their two daughters drowned in the swimming pool. The victims, 13-year-old Aisha Mohammed and her 9-year-old sister Hamdi Mohammed, were among 10 children who had come to swim.

“Kulikuwa na negligence kubwa sana hapajakuwa na security na life saver pale ya kuelekeza watoto au kuzuia watoto au ni deep kiasi gani tumepoteza roho nyingi,” said Jamila Ibrahim, a bereaved family member.

“It has really hurt us because people come to the coast for holidays. If it’s not the ocean, then it’s a swimming pool. These facilities should have proper precautions and responsible people monitoring the condition of the pool,” said Mohammed Hassan, another family member.

Speaking after the burial at Kikowani, the family accused the building owner and management of negligence.

“There was great negligence. There was no security or lifeguard present to guide the children or warn them about the pool’s depth. We have lost too many lives,” said Jamila Ibrahim.

“I urge the county government to inspect every construction because this is becoming a repetitive issue. From Buxton Point to now, we have lost two children,” said AbdulKadir Dekow, uncle to the victims.

Mombasa County Police Commander Mohammed Noor said DCI officers are investigating the incident and urged the county government to enforce safety inspections of all swimming pools to prevent such tragedies.

"Every swimming pool must have a life guard lazima iwe na safety procedure wengine hata maandishi wanoandika hawawezi kuona. Lazima kuwe na safety for their customers, DCI na occupation and safety walikuwa hapo,” said Mohammed Noor.