By Allan Kisia and Mary Kamande

Members of Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) in Thika held an emotional service for its members who died in an accident.

A sombre mood engulfed the parish headquarters at Happy Valley where faithful gathered to mourn loss of their loved ones.

Thirteen members of the parish died in a road accident in Tanga, Tanzania on Friday morning.

In attendance were local politicians led by area MP William Kabogo and members of the Provincial Administration, who included area DC Mwai Gicheru.

Sunday’s congregation was too large and could not fit in the church, which forced the clergy to hold the service outside.

Due to the large numbers, parking for motorists was a nightmare. Some were forced to leave their vehicles hundreds of metres away from the church.

At the service, there were several counsellors and Red Cross officials on stand by. Speaker after speaker recounted how they were shocked with the death and trouble they went through trying to establish, who was alive and who had died.

Joseph Ndaba, an elder at the church and a lecturer at Moi University, lost his wife.

“I have lost a wife and a close confidant. It is a heavy loss but the lord gives us peace and comfort to face such challenges,” he said.

He recalled how a colleague of his wife called early morning to inform him of the accident.

“She told me several people had died and asked me to be strong. From her statement, I knew something was terribly wrong,” he recalled.

Memorial service

Kabogo was grateful to Government for assistance it accorded the church following the tragedy.

“Sometimes we condemn the Government when it does not act. I want to sincerely thank the Government for its work,” he added.

The church set up a committee to spearhead funeral arrangements and will hold a memorial service on Wednesday at 10am. Mary Kimani, a survivor, recalled how they turned back to assist their colleagues who were involved in an accident.

Kimani noted that three of those who perished are her close neighbours. A trailer reportedly rammed one of the buses ferrying the women to Tanga as it stopped to help rescue colleagues in the second bus, which had been involved in another accident on Mandela Bridge in Chelinze area around 5 a.m. The buses belonged to Primrose Academy and the PCEA Elijah Kagiri School.