Tragic end for six university students in ride to attend party

Eight people among them six University students perished in a road accident along Kisii-Kilgoris road on 1.7.2016. The accident involved three vehicles,a canter , a saloon car and Noah. The students were headed to a party in Magena area Kisii County before a car they were traveling in collided head on with an oncoming canter that was headed to Kisii town. (Photo: Eric Abuga/Standard)

A road trip for seven university students to attend a colleague’s birthday party in Kisii ended in tragedy after all but one perished in a grisly road accident that claimed eight lives.

Five students of Kenyatta University’s main campus in Nairobi and their friend from Dedan Kimathi University in Nyeri, left the city for Kisii County on Friday for the party in Magena village —before their lives were cut short along the Kisii-Kilgoris road.

They were travelling in a Toyota Noah, which had a capacity of eight people, including its owner, when they were involved in the 8pm accident with two other vehicles — a canter and a saloon car.

Another car had ferried more friends and their host ahead of them.

Duncan Nyanaro, a Civil Engineering student at Dedan Kimathi University, was reportedly driving the car at the time of the accident.

The owner of the vehicle ferrying the students had allegedly driven from Nairobi but allowed Nyanaro to take over about 30km from Kisii town.

He was among the eight people who died. Mercy Nyambeki, a student, survived and was admitted to Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital.

The driver of the saloon car, a mechanic at Kenyenya, only identified as Juma was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. The driver of the truck and his passenger were admitted to hospital with serious injuries.

Of the five Kenyatta University students, two were sisters.

However, an authoritative source from Kenyatta University said: “Three of the girls were from KU (Kenyatta University). They include Mary Wanjiru Maina, two sisters Vinnah Isoe and Felany Isoe.

Another survivor Mercy Nyambeki is also our student. They are understood to have been going to attend a graduation party in a private vehicle. This was their own private arrangement. That is what we know so far. It’s a tragic thing, we are mourning them as we try to gather more details.”

Vinnah and Felany’s mother, only identified as Rachel, a teacher at Kisii Primary School, learnt of the tragic loss yesterday morning through a picture that was widely circulated in the social media.

Two other students who succumbed were identified as Dorothy Nyakerario and Pauline Nyanchama. The other student had not been identified by the time of going to press.

Nyanaro’s mother, Mrs Arnest Mwango, said her husband, Evans Mambolea, had called his son before the accident.

The son, allegedly, assured the father that he was safe in campus.

“His father had just had a phone conversation with him telling him he was doing well in the university. We were shocked to learn that our son had died in the accident. We saw the photos in the social media and it is his sister who broke the news,” said a tearful Mrs Mwango.

Complained of chest pain

Nyanaro scored an A plain from Maranda High school in 2014 and was admitted to Dedan Kimathi University in 2015. He is the first born and an only son in their family.

The bodies of the deceased students lay in a pool of blood as some of the parents who had just arrived at the scene of the accident tried to come into terms with the painful loss.

Nyambeki who survived the accident yesterday complained of chest pain and had bruises on her neck and hands.

The hospital Chief Executive Officer Enock Ondari said the student and the two others who were admitted were in a stable condition.

Sameta Sub-County Administration Police Commander, Robert Mulwa confirmed the deaths.

“It is unfortunate that we have lost such young lives. We continue to urge drivers to be cautious on our roads. We can avoid such accidents if we avoid reckless and speedy driving,” said Mr Mulwa.

Kisii Governor James Ongwae described the accident as horrific.

“We are grieving as a County. We have lost young people. I send my heartfelt condolences to their families and friends. As a county government, we shall do everything possible to assist the affected families handle this tragedy,” said Mr Ongwae.

He added: “I also call upon drivers to exercise caution while using our roads to avoid a recurrence of this regrettable incident.”

The students are said to have used two cars from Nairobi for the all-white party.

As fate would have it, the party goers had shared a number of pictures on social media on their way from Nairobi for what they anticipated to be a fun-filled party.

A witness said the driver of the Noah tried to overtake the saloon car before the vehicle collided head-on with the canter that was driving in the opposite direction from Kilgoris.

“All the vehicles were on high speed. Three of the victims remained stuck in the wreckage for almost 30 minutes. The saloon car driver refused to give way to the Noah, leading to the collision,” said Joseph Nyabuto, a witness.

Mr Nyabuto claimed that the students were taking alcohol in the car before the accident occurred. Several bottles of alcohol were scattered at the scene.

In July last year five people died along the road at Ogembo area less than a kilometre from where Friday night's accident occurred.