A family in Kapsasian village, Emurua Dikirr subcounty, Narok county, is trying to come to terms with the sudden death of their first-born, Victor Sang, 22.
He died on Thursday while undergoing training at the Kenya Defence Forces Recruits Training School (DFRTS) in Eldoret.
Sang, the eldest of six siblings, had recently left home determined to build a better life through a military career.
His parents and younger siblings had pinned their hopes on him to support the household and advance the family’s future.
“He was a pillar in the family. As the first-born, we believed he would help educate his younger brothers and sisters and support his parents," his uncle Michael Koros said.
Sang sat his KCSE exam in 2024 at Olbobo Secondary School and had helped his father, Biwott, run a small tent-hiring business, ferrying equipment across villages on his motorcycle. His earnings provided crucial support for the family’s daily needs.
Joining the KDF had been a long-held dream. Although his first enlistment attempt in Emurua Dikirr failed, he later travelled to Nairobi and was successfully recruited.
“When he called to say he had been enlisted, there was a lot of joy in this home. We knew this was the breakthrough we had been waiting for," Koros recalled.
That joy was short-lived. KDF officers visited the family last Friday to formally inform them that Sang had collapsed during training and later died due to complications.
He was one of three recruits who succumbed during what the military described as a routine training exercise.
“We cannot understand what happened. The officers told us he got dehydrated while on training,” Koros said.
The family expressed frustration over limited details provided by the military.
The KDF has assured the family it will cover hospital and postmortem expenses, provide a casket and facilitate transportation of the body from Eldoret.
A postmortem is scheduled for February 9, with the family intending to have a private doctor present.
Sang’s burial is planned for Tuesday, following local customs. The body will be transported from Eldoret on the same day. The family has organised a fundraiser on Friday to help meet funeral costs.
The family also dismissed social media claims suggesting Sang had underlying medical conditions.
“Sang was medically fit. He was active and strong. He used to help his father transport tents using his motorcycle. There is no way he was weak," Koros said.
For the family, Sang’s death represents not only a personal tragedy but the loss of a future they had pinned their hopes on—a future that ended before it could begin.
The Kenya Defence Forces confirmed an investigation has been launched in accordance with military procedures to determine the circumstances surrounding the death.
The findings will inform measures to strengthen safety protocols and enhance the welfare of personnel undergoing training.
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