Six villagers who died in a grisly road accident in Meru buried in a sorrowful send off

 

The caskets containing the remains of six neighbours who died in a road accident on August 12.

Six neighbours who died in an accident along the Meru-Embu highway on August 12, were buried in Igembe Central on Wednesday.

A sombre mood engulfed Nguyuyu village as the six bodies were brought in for a mass funeral service at Nguyuyu Primary School.

The six were Susan Kinanu, 33, Julia Kalai, 57, Salome Mukoma, 44, Margaret Kirishia, 65, and Edward Karuti, 42, and his wife, Sarah Gakii, 40.

Burial committee members said they had opted for a mass burial service for the six because they were neighbours who had died travelling to the same ceremony at a notorious black-spot known as Ng'onyi in Imenti North.

The six were headed for dowry negotiations for the daughter of their neighbours, Zippora Mwiriki and Geoffrey Muchubu in Chuka. The two survived the accident unhurt.

The funeral service was presided over by church leaders from all denominations in Nthaare location. Two other people, including the driver of the matatu, were buried last Friday.

The service was led by Dickson Mutia and Linus Gichunge, who asked the community to pray for the families of the deceased.

After the service, family members took their kin away for burial in their respective homes.

Mr Karuti, a renowned miraa trader in Nthaare, and his wife have left behind eight children - the oldest is a Form Two student and the last born was still breastfeeding.

Karuti's two brothers, Peter Kubai and Ayub Murithi, described their sibling, the youngest in their family, as a very hard working man with a passion for community work.

"It is even more saddening that they have left behind eight children, most of who are in school," said Mr Kubai.

"We would appreciate if we got people to lend a helping hand," added Mr Murithi.

Among the mourners was the area MP-elect Kubai Kiringo and Deputy County Commissioner Buxton Mayabi.

Mr Mayabi pledged Sh50,000 from the Government to each family of the accident victims.