Tragedy strikes Ngala family again as son dies days after father's burial

Tragedy struck the Ngala family once again on Monday when Billy Ngala Mwendwa, one of Ngala Mwendwa's sons, collapsed and died barely two days after his father’s burial.

Billy, a former nominated councillor, developed breathing complications in the late afternoon in the middle of a family meeting in Ithookwe Village and was rushed to Neema Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to his stepbrother Muasya Ngala, who was among the first family members to arrive at the hospital, Billy complained of a severe headache and breathing difficulties and excused himself from the meeting.

“He told us he was feeling unwell and wanted to rest and we excused him to go to his home, not far from dad’s place. We were called moments later and asked to quickly rush to the hospital, where we found he was already gone,” Mr Muasya told the Nation at the hospital.

He said his brother’s abrupt death shocked the family as he was in good health and jovial mood during and after their father’s burial.

Nurses at the hospital said Mr Ngala's son was clinically dead by the time he was brought there but had foam coming out of his mouth and nose.

Police officers, led by Kitui Central OCPD Kennedy Onsando, were called in and collected the body to Kitui Level Four Hospital mortuary.

Mr Onsando said police are treating the case as sudden death and post-mortem examination will be conducted to establish the cause of the death.

The Ngala family meeting had been called to review the Saturday burial of the minister who served in first independence Cabinet.