Mumias East Member of Parliament, Peter Salasya, on Saturday, December 3, recounted how he nearly drowned in a swimming pool, vowing never to swim again.
The charismatic lawmaker thus attended a religious rally where deacons laid their hands over him and prayed over the issue.
“I was almost dead in the swimming pool, but I was rescued. I will never go back to a swimming pool.
“Kama haujui ku swim (If you don’t know how to swim) like me, please don’t try,” he stated.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, the Mumias East Lawmaker revealed that the incident happened in Juba during the East African Parliamentary Games.
“I was in Juba, and it was too hot thus I decided to have a swim but was cautioned not to pass a certain level of the pool, I ignored this instruction and in a flash, I was gulping lots of water and drowning,” he paused.
“Were it not for the Ugandan and Kenyan ladies who rescued me, we would be speaking of something else today. I was advised to take a rest. I will never swim again “ he added.
What to Do When Drowning
Swimming trainers advise one to keep their head up and try to breathe normally when drowning.
Also, toss away any item weighing you down, such as shoes or bags, then attract attention by shouting, waving or splashing water.
You can further attempt to lie on your back and tilt your head out of the water to stay oxygenated and recapture energy.
Rescue Operations
Experts advise one against jumping into the water to rescue someone who is drowning if they do not know how to swim.
Call for emergency help and throw any flotation device such as a rescue tube or life jacket.
You can also extend to them a long pole which they can hold onto. Conduct a resuscitation also known as CPR if they are unresponsive.
While at it, keep their head and neck still to avoid making them incur head, neck or spinal injuries. Cover them with a warm blanket, towel or cloth to raise their body temperature.
East African Parliamentary Games
Meanwhile, the 12th Inter-Parliamentary Games (IPG) commenced on Friday, November 25, bringing together Regional Assemblies and National Parliaments from the East African Community (EAC).
Members of Parliament and staff compete in various sports disciplines, including football, netball, athletics, tug-of-war, volleyball, golf, basketball and darts for People With Disabilities (PWD).
PWD is a newly introduced sporting discipline to create equality in the sector.
The games are hosted on a rotational basis among member states and aim at enhancing inter-parliamentary diplomacy.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE