Steve Gicharu, a man who lost several relatives in the grisly accident along the Nakuru–Nairobi Highway, has spoken. The tragic crash, which occurred on Sunday, September 28, claimed the lives of 13 people on the spot. Several others who sustained severe injuries were rushed to the hospital for medical attention. The heartbreaking incident happened in the Elementaita area, near Kikopey, Gilgil, Nakuru county. Among the casualties were a woman and a young girl, identified as Gicharu’s wife and daughter. Devastated by the loss of his loved ones, Gicharu mourned their untimely and unfortunate passing.
Steve Gicharu narrates last call with family “I spoke to them in the morning before they boarded the ill-fated public service vehicle (PSV). Later, I tried to reach them but could not. I even attempted to call them via WhatsApp, but there were challenges since I was calling from Tanzania. When we eventually managed to talk, they told me they had found a vehicle and boarded it as they set off on their journey,” the distressed husband and father said. Gicharu’s nine-year-old son was also travelling with his mother and sibling in the 14-seater matatu. The boy survived the crash and was among the few rushed to the hospital. He escaped with multiple injuries but is receiving medical attention. How many relatives did Patrick Mburu lose? Another man who suffered an even greater loss was Patrick Mburu, who lost 13 family members in the same tragedy.
Among the deceased were his parents, four sisters, an uncle, and his two daughters. They had been traveling from a village in Murang’a county to Nakuru to attend a family function. Overcome with grief, Mburu could not hold back his emotions as he spoke to the press following the accident that wiped out nearly his entire kin. Netizens console families that lost relatives in Kikopey accident Social media users comforted the bereaved with heartfelt messages of condolence, sharing in their unimaginable pain, while others called for thorough investigations. shaz.sharon25: “God comfort the families! My condolences.” hannahkaruga1547: “My God. Now how do you even survive 😢😢😢 May you be comforted… woiii.” jameskimani6850: “Drivers in Kenya need to go for medical examinations, eyesight, blood pressure, and other health checks, before being allowed to operate vehicles.”
antonyapudo8954: “As a driver, yes, the matatu driver was 100% in the wrong, but the trailer driver was also reckless. In such situations, the trailer driver should have slowed down to give the matatu space to rejoin the lane, or even moved onto the road shoulder to avoid the collision.” Cocoa_nutz: “Honestly, it’s high time we start mentally evaluating PSV and commercial drivers. It shouldn’t just be about knowing road signs and how to move a car. These drivers should go through more tests because we all know how recklessly matatu drivers behave, yet we stay silent, giving them more arrogance.”
By John Green
