• Six of the mourners were from St Ann Catholic Church.
• They had come from a burial of friend who died last week.
Image: GEORGE MURAGE
Tears flowed, prayers were recited and some mourners fainted during the mass for nine victims — mourners themselves — killed in a road accident in Naivasha last week.
A Requiem Mass was held on Thursday at Kongoni trading centre in Naivasha ahead of their burial in different parts of the country.
The Nakuru county government waived all the medical fees incurred by the nine and the five patients still admitted in hospital.
The mourners were heading to Naivasha from Kisii when their minibus was involved in a road accident along the Mai Mahiu-Narok road. Nine people died.
Their vehicle was struck by a lorry ferrying sand. Seven died on the spot, two others died in the hospital.
While condoling with the bereaved families, Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui expressed his concern over the increasing number of accidents in the county.
Kinyanjui said the county would continue to offer support to the families as they planned to bury their loved ones.
He said all medical fees were waived.
The governor said drivers of sand lorries are the main culprits of careless driving and their bad decisions left many families in mourning.
Naivasha MP Jane Kihara called the accident traumatising and said they would continue supporting the families.
She praised the medical team at Naivasha hospital for going above and beyond to treat those injured in the 2am accident.
“This accident has taught us that we are one family and we should continue to support each other regardless of our party affiliations,” she said.
One of the relatives, James Nyakundi, said he lost a sister shortly after burying another relative on the day of the accident.
“Those mourners had come to our home for a funeral and we parted well only to get calls hours later that they had been involved in an accident,” he said.
Another relative, Christine Nafula, said most victims were young people with young families.
“Many of those who died have left very young families and we are appealing to the county and other leaders to continue supporting them,” she said.
Others who spoke were Maella MCA Gathariki Kamanu who thanked the county for waiving the medical bills.
“The driver of the sand lorry was to blame for this accident and we shall continue to pray for the five mourners who are still in hospital,” he said.
(Edited by V. Graham)