Sorrow in Kibwezi as families of 7 accident victims come to terms with the loss

A cloud of sorrow engulfed villages in Kibwezi, Makueni County, as families of seven people who perished in an accident along the Emali-Ukia road on Friday come to terms with the loss.

At Nthongoni village in Kibwezi East, families are now preparing for the burial of five people who were among the seven fatalities.

The affected families have called on drivers to ensure they operate roadworthy vehicles in order to prevent loss of lives.

The joy of Sunday service across Nthongoni village in Kibwezi East was replaced by a solemn mood, as neighbors consoled each other under the heavy cloud of grief.

Here, five neighbors who left home on Saturday, engaging in the neighborly responsibility of escorting one of their own for a dowry payment, never made it back. What was meant to be a journey to signify the ties of two families turned into a streak of disaster that has robbed several families of their loved ones.

"Death from an accident is not just a normal death. I have had losses in the family, but the accident loss is unique. The pain is extreme. It is so extreme," says Jerris Kamene, a sister to one of the deceased.

"We called his phone several times, but it went completely unanswered. Upon going there, we found his body, realizing that indeed our brother had left us. And he was a brother we loved very much, the chairman of this family," says Benedict Masila, a brother to one of the deceased.

Survivors of the accident, some of whom are still receiving treatment across various health facilities in Makueni, had shared accounts of how the driver had trouble stabilizing the ill-fated 45-seater bus. This revelation renews the calls for road safety.

"If vehicle owners are careful to service their vehicles, and again if drivers can be careful, then we can save lives," Kamene adds.

"Some of our friends who passed away were village leaders, so as a village, we feel a great loss and we are deeply hurt," Masila states.

Families at Nthongoni village are now grappling with the shock, pivoting from planning a dowry journey barely three days ago to planning five funerals for their relatives and neighbors.