- The KU students had left the institution for Coast in a convoy of two buses on an educational tour but one of them collided with a trailer
- The professor advised motorists to be cautious while on roads and called on the government to keep improving the roads to reduce carnage.
Image: HANDOUT
Mt Kenya University fraternity led by founder Prof Simon Gicharu has condoled with Kenyatta University following the death of 11 students in a tragic road accident on Monday.
The accident which occurred at Maungu in Voi Monday evening after a university bus collided with a trailer also left 21 students with injuries.
In a statement on Friday, Prof Gicharu who also chairs the National Association of Private Universities (Napuk) said it is a sad period not just for the higher education sector but for the entire country considering the loss of young lives is usually a major loss for a country.
“When you lose a young person, you may lose a whole future,” he said. “I take this opportunity on behalf of MKU to send our message of condolences to the whole KU fraternity for that loss.”
Prof Gicharu spoke at an MKU function on Wednesday where he led the university fraternity in observing a minute of silence in honour of their fallen colleagues.
The professor advised motorists to be cautious while on the roads and called on the government to keep improving the roads to reduce carnage.
“Losing someone abruptly is never easy for the family, friends and colleagues,” he said.
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said the KU students had left the institution for Coast in a convoy of two buses on an educational tour but one of them collided with a trailer resulting in the fatalities and injuries.
The other bus made it safely to Mombasa but the trip was cancelled and students recalled back to Nairobi in a show of solidarity with their departed colleagues.
Some of their 21 colleagues who suffered serious injuries were airlifted to Nairobi for specialized treatment while the rest are still admitted at the Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi.
On Wednesday, KU suspended classes for three days to allow the university fraternity to mourn the students who perished in the accident.
“Following this unprecedented tragedy, the university management has decided to suspend all classes for three days beginning Wednesday, March 20, 2024, to enable us to mourn our beloved students,” a memo signed by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Waceke Wanjohi said.
Vice Chancellor Prof Paul Wainaina on Tuesday visited injured students who are admitted at the Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi.
In his brief on Tuesday, Mwaura said counselling services would be offered to the students impacted by the accident to enable them to cope with post-trauma stress if needed.
"The government wishes to pass its most sincere condolences to the Kenyatta University fraternity following the bus accident that happened yesterday (Monday),” he said.
"We join in mourning the loss of our young and promising citizens and pray for the quickest recovery of the injured," Mwaura said.