Emotions run high as two Fijians, Fly Sax plane pilot buried

Jean Muthoni's parents Mr and Mrs Muriithi and her brothers Dennis and Jack during her burial in Giakanja, Nyeri County, on Friday. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

The Fijian missionary who perished in the Fly Sax plane alongside his son was buried in Kitale in an emotional send-off yesterday.

Skaraia Mataka and his son Paula Mataka were accorded a befitting send-off beginning with a ceremony at Kitale ASK show grounds.

The Fiji ambassador to Ethiopia Mosese Tikoitoga thanked Kenyan government and various agencies within the country for assistance offered to families of the deceased.

“We are grateful for the warm regards and support extended to families of the victims who succumbed to the plane crash,” said Mr Tikoitoga who represented the government of Fiji.

Wife to the deceased, Serafina Mataka, eulogised her husband and son as committed servants of God who were an integral part of her life.

In Nyeri, the second officer in command of the plane was accorded a young achiever’s burial. One of her passengers - George Kinyua Ngugi, a contractor, - also went down in a casket in an equally emotional burial in Nakuru.

At Jean Muthoni Mureithi’s funeral, her parents donned pilot uniforms in honour of their fallen daughter.

The second born and only girl in a family of three children, her mother, Jane Mureithi, described her as devoted, obedient and hardworking.

“I shall greatly miss your captivating smile, your company in many ways. I have accepted God’s perfect will and I believe He will guide me in life without you,” she said.

Her eulogy painted a glimpse of the first officer’s short but successful life after defying odds to attain a flying licence at 24 years of age, only to die a year later.

At Ngugi’s burial in Njoro, a cloud of grief engulfed relatives and friends, who described Kinyua as a faithful, compassionate and loving man.

“He touched many people’s lives; the poor, the sick and the needy through his generosity and kindness,” read part of the eulogy.

The 38-year-old left behind a wife and three children aged nine, four years and nine months. Ten lives were lost in the crash that happened earlier this month.