Nancy Gituanja; plane crash; Zambia Airline

Nancy Gituanja; plane crash; Zambia Airline

By Boniface Gikandi

The family of Captain Nancy Gituanja is still coming to terms with the incident of Sunday morning.

Her family in Kiranga village in Kandara, Murang’a County, was yesterday still mourning their daughter.

With villagers easily identifying her as their daughter, the news of the helicopter crash that also claimed five others spread so fast within the locality.

The locals nostalgically remembered how Nancy has been flying the police helicopter for years and was occasionally landing at the nearby Kiranga primary school when visiting her mother

Yesterday, her mother Josephine Njoki Gituanja was lost of words as she came to terms with the tragic loss.

She described her daughter as her breadwinner following death of her husband Allanson Gituanja Kang’ethe in 2007.

“ She was role model in the community. She even adopted a boy from a poor background who stays with the family. She supports his secondary education,” the tearful woman explained.

Njoki said the boy was now at Kenyatta University pursuing a degree course.

Tens of the relatives and friends trooped to the family homestead yesterday to mourn death of the daughter whom the locals had admired owing to her kind assistant to the community projects.

 Last week, the departed pilot is reported to have sent Sh 20,000 for Gatitu secondary school where he had been invited as a guest but she could not make it due to other engagements.

Muruka ward civic leader Bidan Njukia disclosed how the pilot had shown willingness to convene a session with the secondary schools students from the locality in a view of giving them encouragement.

“Last week, Nancy hosted leaders from Kiranga village for a meeting at Wilson Airport where we discussed a lot of issues and agreed to convene a seminar for the youth from the village,” said the civic leader.

The civic leader said during leaders recent visit to her working place, she revealed how some international airlines were showing interests in her owing to her expertise.

“ She mention that Zambia Airline had requested her to join them but still remained reserved,” said the civic leader.

Her former Primary school teacher at Kiranga primary school Mr Joel Gachanja was devastated by the news of Nancy’s death.

Gachanja said death had robbed the area a determined person who over the years supported education and church projects.

“When she was at Kiranga primary school, she demonstrated courage and loved class work. She never reported late to school,” said the teacher.

 She later went for her secondary education at Muruka secondary school before joining Kiganjo Police Training College.

 Earlier, Maragua County Council Chairman Ruru Mwaura led all the civic leaders from Murang’a South district in paying a tribute the departed police officer.

Mourning her, Ruru said she had been instrumental in offering guidance to school going children.

“She also had spare time to be part of the community and especially in community policing owing to her expertise in police work,” said the chairman.