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Rongai mathrees of death: The pain of losing a loved one

 Among those who perished included 19-year-old Cynthia Akoth, a student at Multi Media University (MMU) who had joined the institution barely a month ago.

Matatu owners have pointed an accusing finger at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) after four people were killed and six others injured when a matatu overturned along Lang’ata Road.

The matatu was ferrying passengers from Ongata Rongai to the city centre when the accident happened in the afternoon of September 25.

Among those who perished included 19-year-old Cynthia Akoth, a student at Multi Media University (MMU) who had joined the institution barely a month ago.

Akoth joined MMU on August to pursue bachelor’s degree in communication, but her dream was nipped in the bud. Her mother, Seville Atieno, was inconsolable. Akoth was her only child, and though frowned upon in Luo culture, she had built her a simba on her mother’s compound in Oruba in Suna West, Migori. “I talked to Cynthia on Saturday night since we have made it a habit of talking every night,” she said.

She said that Akoth told her she was bored in the room alone as others had gone out of school. “She wanted to come home for the weekend, but I told her to go to her aunt’s place instead. That is where she was headed on Sunday,” she told The Nairobian.

The distraught mother told The Nairobian how she received an anonymous call on Sunday night from Akoth’s roommate.

“She was frantic and told me Akoth had left school, but had not retuned which was unusual and that her phone was off. I called Akoth the whole night. I grew restless. Her aunt was not picking either. On Monday morning, her roommates told me they heard of an accident and suspected my daughter might have been involved.” Her aunt would later find her body at Kenyatta National Hospital.

“When it was confirmed that indeed she was dead, my whole world came crushing at my feet; I was finished,” mourned the mother.

 NTSA has since banned Ongata Line Sacco as a PSV operator, but the Sacco officials claim NTSA and police are to blame.

Dancun Asava, the sacco chair told The Nairobian: “In fact, we had written to NTSA on September 9 expressing concern over some notorious matatus and crew, including the matatu that was involved in the accident, but no action was taken.

four people were killed and six others injured when a matatu overturned along Lang’ata Road.

The matatu was ferrying passengers from Ongata Rongai to the city centre when the accident happened in the afternoon of September 25.

Among those who perished included 19-year-old Cynthia Akoth, a student at Multi Media University (MMU) who had joined the institution barely a month ago.

Akoth joined MMU on August to pursue bachelor’s degree in communication, but her dream was nipped in the bud. Her mother, Seville Atieno, was inconsolable. Akoth was her only child, and though frowned upon in Luo culture, she had built her a simba on her mother’s compound in Oruba in Suna West, Migori. “I talked to Cynthia on Saturday night since we have made it a habit of talking every night,” she said.

She said that Akoth told her she was bored in the room alone as others had gone out of school. “She wanted to come home for the weekend, but I told her to go to her aunt’s place instead. That is where she was headed on Sunday,” she told The Nairobian.

The distraught mother told The Nairobian how she received an anonymous call on Sunday night from Akoth’s roommate.

“She was frantic and told me Akoth had left school, but had not retuned which was unusual and that her phone was off. I called Akoth the whole night. I grew restless. Her aunt was not picking either. On Monday morning, her roommates told me they heard of an accident and suspected my daughter might have been involved.” Her aunt would later find her body at Kenyatta National Hospital.

“When it was confirmed that indeed she was dead, my whole world came crushing at my feet; I was finished,” mourned the mother.

 NTSA has since banned Ongata Line Sacco as a PSV operator, but the Sacco officials claim NTSA and police are to blame.

Dancun Asava, the sacco chair told The Nairobian: “In fact, we had written to NTSA on September 9 expressing concern over some notorious matatus and crew, including the matatu that was involved in the accident, but no action was taken.

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