Grief as families perish in holiday road carnage

Christmas turned into mourning for some Kenyans after their loved ones died in road crashes.

Twelve people — members of three families died in separate crashes in Migori, Embu and Nakuru counties.

More than 40 others were injured on roads across the country.

The deaths marred an otherwise peaceful holiday characterised by tight security, especially in towns, where police officers, prison warders and National Youth Service personnel patrolled.

In Migori, five family members drowned on Christmas Day when their car veered off the road and plunged into a dam.

The family members were travelling from Nairobi to attend a Christmas party at a friend’s home.

SOMBRE MOOD

Ms Jane Kavene, her two daughters, her sister-in-law Janet Iria and Ms Iria’s daughter were avoiding a muddy stretch on an unfamiliar road. The girls were less than 10 years old.

Ms Kavene, an immigration official at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, lost control of the vehicle barely 100 metres from her destination.

They were travelling to the home of Mr Patrick Odipo, a Migori businessman who had invited them for Christmas.

A sombre mood gripped Mr Odipo’s Midoti Village following the accident, with friends and relatives converging at his home in Suna East Constituency.

Although the children were still gasping for air when they were retrieved from the water, they were pronounced dead on arrival at St Joseph’s Mission Hospital, Ombo.

Ms Kavene, who was visiting the village for the first time, may have ben unaware of the dam’s existence.

TOO LATE

“We tried to remove them from the water but it seemed too late,” said Mr Joseph Nyambori, a relative of Mr Odipo, who was among rescuers. Mr Odipo was still in shock and could not speak.

In Embu, four relatives, among them three brothers, died on Christmas Day when their car veered off the road and plunged into a river.

Two other relatives survived the accident at Kanginga Village and one is fighting for his life at Embu Level Five Hospital.

The four — Ms Jane Kanyua, 47, Mr Peter Mugendi, 33, and two men who were only identified as Mr Mbogo and Mr Kithinji — were returning home after a night of merry-making at a nearby club.

Two of the brothers and Ms Kanyua died on the spot while the fourth died at Kyeni Mission Hospital.

Ms Kanyua’s husband, Mr Justin Kanyua, 51, sustained multiple injuries and is recovering at Embu Level Five Hospital. Another survivor, Mr Joseph Nthiga, 36, was treated and discharged.

Speaking at his home on Friday Mr Nthiga said the accident might have been caused by brake failure as the car descended Kanginga Hill.

DRIVER ARRESTED

In Naivasha, police are holding a driver who allegedly hit and killed two pedestrians on Christmas Day on the Naivasha-Karati road.

According to the police, the two, who were brothers, were walking home when they were knocked down by the car.

“The suspect is in police cells waiting to be arraigned in court next week,” said a police officer handling the matter.

The incident happened at 11.30pm.

In Nyeri County, a driver died on the spot when his car rolled on Nyeri-Ihururu road.

Nyeri police chief Charles Rotich said the passengers disappeared after the accident.

More than 40 members of Legio Maria Church are admitted to various hospitals in Kisumu and Siaya counties after the bus they were travelling in veered off the road and plunged into a ditch at Sinaga on Luanda-Siaya road.

Siaya police boss Stephen Cheteka said the 44 worshippers were travelling from Nairobi to River Nzoia in Siaya County for their annual Christmas prayers when the 51-seater bus developed mechanical problems.

The bus, Mr Chetaka said, was going uphill when its brakes and gear system failed.

Reporting by Elisha Otieno, Martin Ndirangu, Charles Wanyoro, Macharia Mwangi and Nelcon Odhiambo