The 14 family members who perished in the road crash at Kariandusi will be laid to rest next week.
This will be done in an emotional series of burials spread across Nyeri, Murang'a and Nakuru counties.
In preparation for the burials, a memorial mass was held on Wednesday at St Matthew Catholic Church in Kandara Constituency, where leaders, clergy and mourners gathered to console the bereaved.
Burial committee chair Anthony Ndura announced that five victims will be buried on Monday under the Catholic Church, while three others will be laid to rest on Tuesday under the Anglican Church of Kenya.
“The remaining six, who hailed from Nyeri and Nakuru counties, will be buried between Wednesday and Friday,” Ndura added.
He noted that the families had chosen to hold the ceremonies separately to accommodate relatives in the different regions.
First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto, who attended the memorial service, said her presence was to stand in solidarity with the families during their time of grief.
“Our presence here today is just to be by you, to encourage you, to tell you that whatever has happened has happened," she said.
"But we are here just to be by you and to tell you that there is a God in heaven who wipes away all our tears."
Mama Rachel acknowledged the emotional and financial toll the tragedy has inflicted, urging unity in the face of the loss.
“Whatever we are going through as a country is not easy, the emotional baggage and the financial baggage. But because of your love for your nation, you are here. You have told us that we are one family. Kenya is one family and we are happy that we are here as a family,” she added.
The government has waived Sh4.2 million in funeral expenses and pledged to provide psychological support to the grieving family.
Officials said the assistance is aimed at easing the immense financial strain brought by the tragedy.
The accident, described as one of the worst in recent months, has rekindled questions about road safety in the country even as families prepare to bury their loved ones.
The crash, which happened on Sunday, September 28,2025, involved a 14-seater matatu and a trailer.
Eyewitnesses reported that the matatu collided head-on with the trailer, leaving the smaller vehicle badly crushed.
The trailer veered off the road before overturning, though its cargo remained intact.
The force of the impact left parts of the vehicles and personal belongings scattered across the tarmac.
