Family buries 5 of their kin who lost lives at Salgaa accident

Caskets of family members who died at Salgaa in Nakuru following a road crash. PHOTO: KIBATA KIHU/STANDARD

NAKURU: A dark cloud engulfed Iruri Village in Nyeri County during the burial of five out of seven family members who perished in a grisly road accident along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway last Friday.

In an emotional ceremony, Charles Kibira 62, his oldest son Gerald Munyi 36, his son's wife Gladys Mukuhi, 27, their Daughter Anne Wambui, 7, and their two year-old son Maina Munyi were laid to rest in their ancestral home in Nyeri.

Relatives, neighbours, friends and government representatives came togetherness to give the departed souls a dignified send-off even as mourned for the big loss.

'We are in pain and  hoping this is the last time Kenyans are losing their lives at this (Salgaa black) spot, the President should do something to ease our sufferings," Charles Otieno said, a representative of the family's friends from Kitale lamented.

Otieno observed that it was painful for a family to lose such a great number in a single day urging the government to intervene.

"Losing family members in a single day is not normal, let the death of Kibira and his family be a wakeup call to the government to do something about rising road accidents," he said.

Their burial came after two of the seven who died in the accident were laid to rest at their Molo home, Nakuru County on Thursday July 21.

Thousands of mourners travelled from as far as Kitale and Trans Nzoia in Western Kenya to join their compatriots from Central Kenya to bid fare well to the victim.

The five died after their vehicle collided head-on with a truck at the notorious Salgaa black spot on the previous Friday night.

Caskets bearing the remains of the departed relatives were placed at a tent erected in the middle of Iruri Primary school playing field, where an interdenominational service was conducted.

On the coffin, was by a cross bearing the names of the victims, their date of birth and when they died, starting with Kibira, his son, daughter in- law and his two grandchildren.

Before his death Kibira had plied the route for over 40 years and was on his way back from Nyeri where he had attended a relative's burial.

Mathira MP Peter Weru asked the government to consider constructing a dual carriage at Salgaa and other black spots in the country in order to save lives.

"There are answers to all black spot. Roads can be redesigned and Police need their role and responsibilities," Weru observed.

The MP warned traffic police officers and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) who take bribes from rogue drivers at the expense of road users.

He further promised to table a motion in parliament next week to discuss about the construction of a dual carriage at the site.

Nakuru county Woman Representative Mary Mbugua said the parliamentary committee on energy to which she was a member had recommended for a dual carriage to be put up at Salgaa.

She however asked the drivers to be careful and cautioned drivers against careless driving.

"Trucks will use their own lane as other vehicles use different ones," the MP said.

Trans Nzoia Deputy county commissioner Albert Mwalwa advised drivers to be careful while on the road and give way to other motorists instead of insisting they are on their right side.

"Let us stop insisting on our right of way and instead let us use our common sense because in case of an accident we all perish," Albert Mwalwa explained.