23 perish in road crash

Four members of a family were among 23 people who perished in the worst bus accident of the year so far.

Thirty six others were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The victims, all from Kawathei village in Kakuyuni division, Kangundo district, were travelling in an overloaded, speeding minibus, according to police.

The vehicle plunged into Uwaani River near Mbumbuni market, Mbooni location on Saturday night.

Mr Richard Munene Makau, an employee of Kasuku Printers in Nairobi, died together with his two sons and a grandchild while on his way home in Kangundo from a dowry payment visit to his in-laws in Makueni.

Machakos District Hospital boss Joab Osumba said that of the 36 patients who were brought to the institution, 20 were treated and discharged while 16 were admitted.

Local police boss David Kirui said the driver lost control of the bus.

“Speeding and overloading are some of the factors contributing to the high number road accidents in the region and I am appealing to drivers and police officers to help stop this trend,” Mr Kirui said.

He said locals and officers used axes and pangas to free victims trapped in the mangled wreck.

“The bus was lying upside down. Many passengers were trapped inside. It was at night and you can imagine how difficult it was to reach them. But when a breakdown came from Machakos we managed to put it back on its wheels and retrieved the bodies,” Mr Kirui said.

On Friday, Mr Makau, 60, visited his in-laws to complete payment of dowry for his wife and chose to do it in style.

From his home in Kawathei village, Kakuyuni division in Kangundo District, he hired a minibus which took his party to Kavumbu village in Kathonzweni district, Makueni.

Everything went as planned and Mr Makau was delighted to pay the dowry known locally as Ilute. (Read: Jolly dowry ceremony turns tragic after 23 relatives die)

Jovial mood

Mr Makau was in a jovial mood when they left for home. His wife, Ruth, was left behind.

Mr Peter Musyoka, Ruth’s cousin, said she stayed back to collect drugs for diabetes. “She was to travel back yesterday to Kangundo,” said Mr Musyoka, a police officer.

As fate would have it, tragedy struck the happy family 30 kilometres from Kathonzweni.

Survivors said the driver was speeding when the accident occurred.

“He lost control at Uwaani River. The vehicle, carrying more than 50 passengers, hit a rock on the roadside before landing upside down,” says Ms Zainab Mzee. She was in hospital undergoing treatment at the casualty department.

Her mother, Mrs Amina Mohammed, said her daughter spoke to her at 5pm, informing her that they were leaving Kathonzweni.

Mr Musyoka said when he was informed of the accident he went to Makueni District Hospital where he found two of the five passengers who were admitted there had died.

“I went back to the accident scene, it was around 10pm. I found police and residents helping get the bus back on its wheels. I counted 20 bodies, it was a pathetic scene,” he said.

The injured were taken to Tawa Health Centre, Makueni District Hospital and the Machakos District Hospital. A family function of great joy had ended in tears.

Mr Simon Wambua lost his parents in the accident.

He attended the party and was dropped off at Wote town where he works.

“I visited the scene and identified my mother and father, I did not know that the party was the last forum for me to see them again,” said a tearful Mr Wambua.

This was the third accident in the area in a week. Last Saturday, a groom’s party from Mavindini, Makueni, was involved in an accident at Kamuthanga as they travelled to pay dowry at a village in Kangundo district. One person was killed and several others injured.

On the same day, the driver of a school bus transporting the body of an elderly woman and more than 50 mourners lost control, killing four people and injuring dozens on the Salama-Nunguni road in Makueni County.