- A tragic road accident involving a lorry and a matatu along the Meru–Nyahururu Highway resulted in 16 fatalities
- Families broke down in grief at Nyeri County Referral Hospital mortuary as they identified the bodies of their loved ones
- Among them was the family of Kenya Forest Service officer Sebastian Ndolo, who recounted how they learned of his death through a phone call
Tears flowed freely at the Nyeri County Referral Hospital mortuary as families thronged the facility to identify the bodies of their loved ones who died in a road accident on Saturday, March 28.
Source: Facebook
Many broke down after viewing the bodies, as the reality of their loss slowly dawned on them. They struggled to contain their grief in the face of such sudden tragedy.
Relatives and friends could be seen holding and comforting the bereaved, offering what little solace they could in the wake of the devastating loss.
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According to a report by NTV, ten families were able to positively identify their kin at the morgue.
What did family of Kenya Forest Service officer say at Nyeri mortuary?
One of the affected families is that of Sebastian Ndolo, a Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officer who perished in the Nyeri crash.
Ndolo, who was attached to the Aberdare Forest Station, was on his way home after seeking treatment in Nyeri Town.
However, he took longer than usual to return, raising concern and prompting his wife to try to reach him.
Her worst fears were realised when a stranger answered his phone and informed her that her husband had been involved in an accident.
Ruth Singinga, his sister, said they rushed to the hospital, hoping to find him in the emergency department receiving treatment, but were heartbroken upon their arrival.
“I called the lady who had his phone, and she told me they were with his boss and had already confirmed that he was not among those injured, but had been taken to the mortuary,” said Ruth.
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Regional traffic commandant Elizabeth Vivi stated that, out of the 16 deceased, six were still unidentified. She called on families to come forward to help identify and claim the bodies.
Vivi noted that the matatu was not carrying excess passengers, as there were two juveniles and the driver, who are not usually counted as passengers.
“It had two juveniles plus the driver, bringing the total number of people in the 14-seater matatu to 17. In law, it is clear that juveniles are not counted as full passengers, and neither is the driver. That is why suggestions that the matatu was overloaded are not accurate,” she explained.
How did the Nyeri accident occur?
The deadly crash, involving a lorry ferrying firewood and a matatu, occurred at the Matangine area along the Meru–Nyahururu Highway, near Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.
The accident happened when the lorry, which was transporting firewood, overturned and struck the public service vehicle carrying passengers.
The driver of the lorry was reportedly attempting to avoid a cyclist when he swerved, leading to the fatal collision.
Four people died at the scene, while 11 others succumbed later that same day, as rescuers worked to retrieve bodies trapped in the wreckage, bringing the total fatalities as of March 29 to 15.
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One more person died while receiving treatment on Sunday, March 29, increasing the death toll to 16.
What did Moses Wetang’ula say about the Nyeri tragedy?
In related news, NgGossips reported that National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula called for stricter road regulations following the fatal accident that claimed 16 lives.
Wetang’ula urged road users to exercise caution and adhere to traffic laws. He also called on the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to tighten road regulations and verify the status of vehicles as a measure to reduce road accidents.
The NTSA announced that it had launched an investigation into the Nyeri crash, focusing on vehicle safety and driver conduct.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at NgGossips.
Source: NgGossips
