Four people who died of food poisoning in Rodama, Kieni West, started feeling abdominal pains and had diarrhoea three days after eating food at dowry ceremony.
Mugunda MCA Joseph Nderitu, who was part of the guests, said the event was held on Thursday but people started feeling the symptoms on Saturday.
"Many of the people started complaining of diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pains on Saturday,” he said on Monday.
Nderitu said he did not suspect foul play. He said there might have been poor handling of the food which led to contamination.
Two of the dead were from Rodama village, one from Solio in Laikipia and the other died in Nairobi. At least 50 fell sick people, and seven were in critical conditions. Medics said they are responding well to treatment.
Alfred Nyambura, who fell sick, said the chefs were hired from Gikomba in Nairobi but cooked the food at the venue of the ceremony.
Another guest who also became ill Erastus Mburu said people who had eaten the food complained of stomach pains. Mburu said they heard screams in the neighbourhood then they learnt that a man had died.
Some of the guests were from Nairobi and Othaya.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga visited the victims. He pledged to revamp Karemeno Health Centre for efficient handling of such incidents if they occur in the future. Residents were treated at the centre.
"Doctors responded quickly to the crisis. Were it not for their diligence, the deaths would have been more,” he said.
The governor was accompanied by Health executive Rachel Kamau, chief officer of health Newton Wambugu and the county director of medical services Nelson Muriu.
