The scene of last week's accident in Bungoma. [Photo/NairobiNews]A family in Vihiga County is appealing for help to cater for the burial expenses for its 12 members who perished in an accident last week.
The accident occurred at Kamukuywa Bridge along Webuye-Kitale highway on Monday and it claimed 19 people of which 16 of them were from Muhanga village.The family has called on both the county and national governments as well as well wishers to help it raise funds so that they can give their loved ones a decent send-off. The accident took place when a matatu the victims were travelling in ran into a truck that was transporting sugar cane.
“Nine of those who perished in the accident are close family members. They included my wife Ednah Nyaboke, son Derrick Oguso, daughter Ivy Mwenesi, brother Godfrey Ilahalwa, sister Joyce Oguso, sister-in-law Abigael Kegode, niece Caroline Vihenda and nephews Joseph Kegode and Ethan Ilahalwa,” Kegode said.
He said three of the other victims were members of the extended family while four were neighbours who had accompanied them for a visit to the home of one of our relatives.
He added: “This is very painful. We were also awaiting results of my last born child who had sat his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams at Vihiga Boys. I don’t have words to express what I am going through now. The family needs financial assistance to conduct the burials. We also need counselling.”
"We have a budget of Sh3.5 million ahead of their planned burial on December 23. My worry is we may not be able to raise the money on our own by then. The burial expenses include mortuary fees.”A funds-drive is scheduled for tomorrow at the family’s home. The victims were on their way back from a reunion at their sister’s home in Matunda, Kitale, when the accident occurred. Kegode was in a separate car together with his other brother George Oguso and he stated that he tried to reach the victims to warn them about the truck after their car narrowly missed it but it was in vain.
“We were ahead of the matatu carrying our relatives by about three kilometres. We missed the truck by sheer luck. I tried calling them to warn them about the truck, which did not have reflectors and was at a blind spot, but I could not reach them because of poor network. Calls were not going through,” Kegode said.