Relatives headed for dowry ceremony among 13 people killed in Machakos accident

BY DANIE NZIA, ERASTUS MULWA and ONESMUS NZIOKA

MACHAKOS COUNTY: Thirteen people perished early Saturday in a grisly road accident along the Masii-Tawa road in Mwala district, Machakos County.

Nine others were rushed to the Machakos Level Five hospital where they were admitted in critical condition.

Dr Hussein Abubakari who led a team of medics in attending to the injured described their condition as stable.

He said among the survivors was a boy aged one year and five months whose mother suffered a fractured arm.

The dead who included members of one family, their relatives and friends were travelling from Muisuni sub location in Kangundo constituency to Kithungo location in Mbooni constituency for a dowry paying ceremony when the accident occurred.

The parents of the bridegroom, Pastor Albert Muasya, Peter Muasya and Beatrice Mueni were among those who perished in the horrific accident.

A son to the deceased Musembi Muasya told The Standard that he learned about the accident through a vernacular radio station.

Musembi who works as a driver with a funeral service company was driving to pick a body for burial from the Machakos Level Hospital when he heard the news of the accident.

A shaken Musembi was forced to hand over the vehicle to another driver so as to ensure the injured were treated.

His brother was not in the fateful car as he had travelled to his inlaws’ home the previous day for early preparations of the event.

Mwala OCPD Joseph Mugoh confirmed twelve people died on the spot when the Nissan matatu they were travelling in plunged in river Isivuni, a few kilometres before Tawa market about 6.30am.

Mugoh said another victim was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, bringing the number of the dead to thirteen.

He said those who died instantly included seven women, two men, two boys and a girl. The thirteenth victim was also a woman.

The horror of the accident was visible from far, with personal effects strewn all over under a flowing river where the Matatu Plunged. Most notable was a bible belonging to the father of the Bridegroom, a pastor, who perished in the accident.

Leaders who arrived at the scene of the crash were former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo, MPs Kisoi Munyao, Regina Ndambuki, Vincent Musyoka, (rtd) Muluvi and Budalang’I MP Ababu Namwamba.

The leaders expressed shock at the early morning crash that ended what began as a joyous trip and urged the relevant government department to erect bumps near the bridge.

The leaders blamed the many accidents that have occurred in the section of the road on bad planning.

Kalonzo regretted that the section of the road has a history of horrific accidents and urged drivers using the road to exercise caution to avoid accidents.

Kisoi in whose constituency the Kangundo people were travelling to had earlier visited the injured at the hospital and wished them quick recovery.

He called for strict enforcement of the traffic rules and regulations in order to avoid further loss of lives on the country’s roads. 

The driver of the fateful matatu who survived the horror accident but had multiple leg fractures said the vehicle’s brakes failed as he ascended the sloppy section of the road.

Another survivor a member of the New Jerusalem church in Kangundo Morris Maweu said they had started their journey at about 3.00am.

“All was well as we drove through Kangundo-Mwala-Masii road until I suddenly heard the vehicle fly over the bridge and landed on its roof”, he said at the hospital.