Kea remembers that a mini bus full of passengers appeared from the side of Nuu and slowly tore into the flooded river through an underground bridge. They watched in awe as the driver manoeuvred the vehicle safely to the other side. Moments later, another matatu came and just like the first one, crossed the river effortlessly.
The choir members were now convinced it was safe to cross. "We had a discussion on whether to cross or not. Finally, we reached a consensus and agreed to cross," he says.
They got into the school bus, which also took in other people who wanted to cross to the other side and the driver made a daring attempt as a group of onlookers cheered them on. Then something snapped.
The bus's front left wheel slid into a gorge where the heavy currents had eaten up parts of the underground bridge, forcing the bus to tilt dangerously. There was wailing and screaming as the vehicle slowly toppled over and fell into the flooded river on its left side.
Kea was seated on the right side and he momentarily reached for the window. He opened it and thrust himself out. He was now atop the bus that was slowly sinking right before his eyes. From his position, a terrified Kea could hear his colleagues gasping for breath, wailing, and calling for help.
"I knew this is death and I really prayed. I told God it was not yet my time to go," he says.
But with zero skills to swim and the bus slowly getting swallowed by the water, Kea was at a crossroads. Does he jump into the water and drown or does he sink with the bus?
By now local divers with their unrivalled skill to swim in deadly rivers had launched themselves into the river to save the drowning passengers. One of the divers was Kea's saving grace.
He recalls the diver ordering him to dive into the water so that he could grab him. Terrified by the thought but with no choice, he did as advised and the skillful diver saved him.
"I jumped into the water. Remember I do not know how to swim but he quickly got hold of me and swam with me to safety," he says.
A vehicle crosses River Enziu in Mwingi, Kitui County, where 33 people lost their lives on December 4, 2021. [Philip Muasya, Standard]
"I saw many bodies being retrieved from the river. It was unbelievable. Moments earlier, we were a happy lot and now death!" she said.
The arduous journey to her treatment started right there at the river bank where she underwent first aid before being driven to Mwingi Level IV Hospital. After a day, her condition worsened and she he was transferred to Nairobi West Hospital for specialised care. Here, her lungs failed and she was put on oxygen and admitted at the ICU for 10 days. The financial toll hit her family hard. On admission, the hospital asked for Sh300,000 and by the time she was being discharged, the bill had skyrocketed to Sh1.7 million.
"I lost 30 per cent of my lung capacity. I have constant chest pains and I am now asthmatic. I did not have these ailments before the accident. I am constantly in and out of hospitals," Katanu says, then breaks into tears.
"But I thank God I am alive. God has a reason why I am alive today," she adds, before breaking down again. She recalls her daughter fainting at the hospital when she went to see her. Her doctors have suggested specialised treatment to clean her lungs but she says the cost is out of reach. At times, she coughs pellets of sand.
Her employer is understanding, she says, and when she is unable to cope, she is given days off. "Even in the choir, sometimes I get asthmatic attacks but the members have been very supportive. I treat others but it has now come to a point where I personally need help," says Katanu who holds a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology. What gives her the strength to live?
"Prayers. I keep praying to God to reveal to me the reason why He saved my life in an accident where most of our colleagues died. Meanwhile, I will continue serving Him in the church," says the soprano singer.
Has she been to River Enziu ever since? "No and never. I do not even want to hear that name," she says with a firm gesture.
Kea, on the other hand, says he has developed an incurable phobia for bridges, mass water and buses.
"It actually took me several months before I could be comfortable in a bus," he says.