Mombasa family loses 7 in auto-crash, seeks burial aid

Judy Akinyi (right) consoles her niece Bethlen Anyango (left) whose mother was among the seven relatives who perished in a road accident at Sultan Hamud along the Mombasa-Nairobi Highway at their Mtopanga residential house within Mombasa County as they began to raise funds for their burial. [Photo by Gideon Maundu/Standard]

No pain can describe the loss of a loved one. But when that loss involves seven members of a family struggling to eke out a living, the reality is simply devastating.

This tragic reality befell Bethlene Anyango, who lost both parents in an accident that also claimed seven family members.

The tragic road crash involved a hearse and a truck at Sultan Hamud in Machakos last Saturday.

The family is now appealing to well-wishers to support them in footing burial expenses.

Speaking during a funeral preparation meeting at Mtopanga in Mombasa yesterday, Judith Odhiambo, whose sister Alice Odidre and her husband Alfred Kasango died in the accident, said they require about Sh1 million to bury the seven relatives.

Tears flowed freely as the kin mourned the seven victims of the Christmas season road crashes where dozens have so far died and many others sustained injuries.

Burial preparations

Mr Kasango was engaged in ‘jua kali’ work while Alice was a housewife at the time of death. They were Bethlene’s parents.

Another couple who died in the accident were Charlie Onyango and Roselinda Wandala, who are cousins and villagemates of the first couple.

Other relatives who died are Joseph Ombandi, Angelina Ochiel and Charles Osama.

The bodies are lying at the Machakos Level 5 hospital mortuary in Machakos County.

The relatives will be buried at Ywaya-Tingare village in Ugunja, Ugenya, Siaya County.

“We have embarked on burial preparations for the seven relatives and this will cost about Sh1 million. I appealing to well-wishers to donate funds to help us bury our relatives,” Mrs Odhiambo said.

Addressing journalists and mourners, Odhiambo’s husband Alexander Munika said they were stuck over the cost of burial and raising school fees in the New Year.

Nyali politician Said Abdalla said they would play their part but urged well-wishers to come to the aid of the family.

The relatives were travelling to a burial in Makueni when the tragedy struck.

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