The body of Lawi Kiptoo, a student at Kirinyaga University, who drowned in the flooding Thiba River, has been found.

Kiptoo's body was discovered on Friday floating in water at Ngumbatha village in Nyangati location, Mwea-east sub-county, after a two-day search. The matter was reported at Kutus police station, prompting immediate action from both authorities and locals in the search effort.

The Third Year Building Engineering student was swimming in the river when its banks burst due to heavy rains, sweeping him downstream.

According to his colleagues, Kiptoo jumped into the river on Wednesday and began swimming, but he was overcome by strong water currents and drowned. Despite efforts by residents to rescue him, they were unsuccessful.

Ngumbatha villagers, led by area village elder Johnson Wachira, revealed that Kiptoo's body was discovered more than 10 kilometres away from where he drowned.

The deceased student's family arrived on Friday, led by his father, Samuel Murkomen, expressing their shock at the news of their son's passing.

"We have come all the way from Kaimugor village in Trans Nzoia County after receiving information from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations that our son was no longer alive. We travelled to Kirinyaga and were able to identify the body," said Mr Samuel Murkomen.

Another family member described the deceased as humble and hardworking. "He was very active and related well with other people, but sadly the cruel hand of death robbed him of his life," said Mr Justus Koskei, the cousin of the deceased.