Families struggle to come to terms with heavy losses after Naivasha tragedy

A woman mourns her relatives who perished in the Saturday evening accident.  (PHOTO: KIPSANG JOSEPH/ STANDARD)

A family is mourning the loss of three members who perished in Saturday’s horrific crash in Naivasha.

David Muturi, 36, Evelyn Wambui, 15, and Marian Njoki, 14, were travelling home after attending their cousin’s dowry negotiations in Subukia when the accident happened.

Two other members of the family - Violet Wanjiru and Juliet Wairimu - are nursing serious burn injuries at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).

Violet’s two children also perished.

By the time of going to press, she had no idea that her children had died because she was unconscious.

The family was heading back to Nairobi in the same vehicle when it was involved in the accident.

Samuel Kamau was inconsolable as he narrated his last moments with his brother Muturi.

Kamau said they parted with his brother at 6.30pm after attending a dowry ceremony of their cousin.

“My brother travelled from Nairobi to attend the ceremony of our cousin that was successful, he encouraged the couple and promised to visit them later in the month,” he said.

Muturi is said to have kept on informing members of his family on the progress of his journey until around 9.00pm, when he went quiet.

No response

Kamau said the family tried to call him but there was no response. Then they receive the shocking news from a well-wisher who collected Muturi’s phone at the scene of the accident.

“We parted with my brother in Nakuru town but we later received information from a well-wisher who picked his phone that he had died after being involved in the tragic road accident,” said Kamau who was still in shock.

Francis Njoroge, Muturi’s elder brother, is still in shock.

After receiving news of the tragedy, he rushed to the scene and identified his brother’s body from among those scattered at the scene.

More bodies, he said, were still trapped inside mangled vehicles.

“Images of the scene at wee hours of the night are still fresh in my mind. The scene was scary, there was blood everywhere along the road,” said Njoroge, tears rolling down his cheeks.

He fondly speaks about his younger brother, describing him as a friend and source of encouragement in the family.

His memories are still fresh in his mind, he says, memories of the lovely moments they shared and embraced each other with love despite challenges they faced in life.

Overwhelmed by the enormity of the tragedy, Muturi’s parents, Kamau Njoroge and Esther Wairimu could not speak. They are still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their son. At the morgue, the couple were surrounded by friends and relatives who tried their best to console them. They did not have enough courage to view the mutilated body of their son.

“I have lost my son and two grandchildren. It is so painful because my daughter in law and grandchild are still nursing serious injuries at the hospital,” said the mother.

Muturi was an electrician working with Kenya Power on contract.

A man and his wife also perished in the horrific crash.

Peter Kamau and his wife Anne Wanjiku were travelling to Nakuru from Nairobi inside the ill-fated passenger vehicle involved in the crash.

Joseph Njuguna, Kamau’s brother, said the couple was to meet him at Naivasha so that they could travel together to their ancestral home in Kinangop ahead of Christmas celebrations.

He said Kamau and his wife left Nairobi at around 7.30 pm and were expected to arrive in Naivasha at around 10pm.

He tried to call him but his phone was switched off. He later received information about the accident.

Njuguna rushed to the scene of the accident after receiving the news but he could not identify any of the two bodies because they had been burnt beyond recognition.

“I waited to receive my brother in town but while waiting, his phone went off. I went to the scene but could not identify him because the body had been burnt completely,” he said.

At the hospital morgue, some prison officers attached to the Naivasha GK Prison came searching for one of their own who also perished in the accident.

The officer is said to have been travelling from Naivasha to meet his relatives in Nairobi.

“Our colleague left the station at around 8pm, saying he was going to visit his family in Nairobi. It is sad to lose him in such a scenario,” said the officer.