Gov't pledges support as Murang’a family prepares to bury 14 kin killed in Kikopey road tragedy

The family of 14 people who died in a road accident last Sunday has started making funeral and burial arrangements, with the national government promising to assist in the effort.

First Lady Rachel Ruto led the community in condoling with the family in Murang’a as the Ministry of Health prepares to send advisors to help those affected by the accident.

Three days after the community received news of the devastation that had visited them in the form of a tragic road accident, they gathered in their local church, seeking to find some solace and meaning in the big blow they were still coming to terms with.

Citizen TV visited the family where their silent sorrow, grief and anguish was shared with dignitaries who joined them for the first mass in honour of the 14 departed souls, all members of one family. The gravity of the loss is now becoming even clearer.

The deceased were on their way to visit a sick aunt in Nakuru when tragedy struck and wiped out 14 closely related family members. 

“This is the time as a family that you have to come together, more than any other time. I leave this service having learned something even as a nation — what if we loved each other as a member of one family?” Rachael Ruto stated.

Nominated MP Sabina Chege added, “Kuna watoto kumi na wawili ambao wamebaki hapa, hawana mama, hawana grandmother or a grandfather, hawana mahali wataenda.”

The community is now left with memories of their neighbours and kin, as well as the heavy financial and emotional toll of preparing for their burials, a burden that the leaders and community members have begun chipping away at.

The service also helped raise more than Ksh.4 million that will be used in the funerals.

“Once the funeral is over the burden will be real, because everyone will have gone back to their homes. Let us keep supporting them," said Rachel.

Murang'a Woman Representative Betty Maina on her part said, “Wale tumebaki itabidi tukuje hapa tufanye mchango tusaidie hawa watoto.”

The government, through the Ministry of Health, will provide counselling services for the surviving family members.

The family is in the meantime planning the burials of the fourteen deceased. They will be interred in four different places: Kahiga, Kangui, Gacharage in Murang’a, and in Naivasha.