A bold act by Kericho Women Representative aspirant Cheptoo Shaz Langat has left residents of Kapsoit Ward divided after she waded into the flooded Cheptinding River to help recover a body.
The drama unfolded on September 22, when locals discovered an unidentified body stuck in the Cheptingting Quarry section of the river. As crowds gathered in the rain, many hesitated to enter the cold, muddy water.
Langat, however, stepped forward. Photos from the scene show her inside the river alongside a local volunteer identified as Laban, pulling together to bring the body to shore.
“Today with the help of Laban, I volunteered to bravely descend into the Cheptingting Quarry and successfully participated in the retrieval of an unidentified body,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
She later said the moment called for true leadership, adding that in times of tragedy, leaders must be willing to serve and support the community
.The body was later moved to Kericho County Referral Hospital mortuary as police began efforts to identify the deceased and establish how he ended up in the river.Her action sparked mixed reactions online.
While many praised her courage and humanity for doing what most politicians would avoid, others dismissed it as a political stunt ahead of the 2027 polls.
Despite the debate, residents agreed the recovery showed rare compassion in a difficult moment.
