Eight people from two families die in separate road accidents in Machakos and Narok

Mumbuni High School principal Timothy Wambua with his wife Consolata in their happier days. [PHOTOS: ERASTUS MULWA/STANDARD]

MACHAKOS: Four relatives of Mumbuni High School Principal Timothy Wambua have been killed in a road accident.

Mr Wambua's wife Consolata, daughter Christine, his mother-in-law Ruth Ngile and brother-in-law Wathome Ngile died when the car they were traveling in collided head-on with a 14-seater matatu at Mukuyuni along the Machakos-Kitui road at around 7.30pm Saturday.

His wife and in-laws died on the spot while his 24-year-old daughter died while being taken to hospital. A seven-old baby who was in the matatu also died bringing the death toll to five.

Wambua said his family left their Machakos home on Saturday morning to Mbitini in Kitui County to attend a relative's funeral.

"I bid them goodbye before they travelled and hoped they would travel back safely in the evening but that was never to be," he told The Standard yesterday.

"This is a loss that cannot be defined. Losing loved ones at a go and without expecting is a most painful experience that can only take God's grace to withstand."

Nineteen people who were on board the Nissan matatu at the time of the accident were taken to Machakos Level Five Hospital where 14 were treated and allowed to go home while three were admitted.

"Two others who sustained serious injuries were referred to Mater and Aga Khan hospitals for specialised treatment," said the county director of Emergency Services David Mwongela.

One of the survivors of the fatal accident Sharline Ndeto who was seated on the passenger's seat next to the driver of the ill fated Nissan matatu told The Standard that the driver was speaking on his mobile phone before the accident occurred.

"I was seated next to him and the vehicle was at high speed as he spoke on his mobile phone. The next thing I heard was loud bang after our vehicle collided with the saloon car," Ms Sharline said.

Elsewhere, Four relatives among them two children were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in rammed a truck along the Narok-Mai Mahiu road.

The four, a man aged 60, a woman aged 45 and a boy and girl aged 10 and three years respectively died on the spot in the 1:50am incident. They are said to have been from an engagement ceremony in Central Kenya.

Narok North OCPD Charles Ouma said the Toyota Harrier registration number KBU 344F which was being driven by Alison Irungu,35, hit the lorry registration number KBB 908G from behind. The two vehicles were heading to Narok from Nairobi.

"It was past midnight when the incident happened. The four died on the spot while the driver survived with serious chest injuries and is receiving treatment at Narok County Referral Hospital. The bodies of the four are lying at the hospital's mortuary," Mr Ouma said.

The wreckage of the vehicle, together with the lorry, the OCPD said, were towed to Ntulele Police Station as investigations into the incident continue.

Ouma called on motorists using the highway to be cautious and avoid speeding in order to prevent accidents.

"This highway is very dangerous. We cannot afford to lose any life as a result of (speeding)," he said.