Kitui Governor Julius Malombe on Wednesday released the names of the 10 victims of the February 26 matatu accident at Katangi in Machakos county on the Kitui-Machakos road.
During a press conference in his boardroom, he conveyed his condolences to the families of the bereaved.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce that at the scene, we lost eight lives of our people, who included four men, three women, and one female child.
“Additionally, two other male victims succumbed to the injuries. One died on the way to hospital, while the second person died during treatment at Machakos Level V Hospital.”
Three of the victims hailed from Machakos county, while seven came from Kitui county.
Malombe named those from Machakos county as Redempter Mukui from Mua ward, as well as Joseph Mutinda and Esther Mwikali, both of whom came from Upper Kaewa/Iveti ward.
Those from Kitui county were Jacinta Kanini from Voo-Kyamatu ward, Daniel Wambua from Chuluni ward, Richard Kiema from Yatta-Kwa Vonza ward and Dickson Nzuki from Zombe-Mwitika ward.
Kitui also lost Musee Maluki from Yatta-Kwa Vonza ward, Patrick Kisululu from Nzambani ward and a female child from Muselele village in Yatta-Kwa Vonza ward.
The accident involved a 41-seater matatu that was travelling to Nairobi from Kitui.
The driver of the matatu lost control of the vehicle as he negotiated a bend, making it roll before it plunged into a ditch.
The accident occurred at a blackspot less than a kilometre from Katangi market on the Machakos-Kitui road as the vehicle descended a steep slope towards the Athi River bridge.
News reports on the accident attributed the accident to overloading. The matatu was carrying about 31 bags of charcoal on its roof carrier rack.
