Judith Akinyi Odhiambo (R ) consoling Bethlene Anyango a Jomo Kenyatta University student who lost both parents in a tragic roads accident. [Photo/Maxwell]
Relatives of seven family members who perished following tragic road accident which involved a hearse and a truck at Sultan Hamud in Machakos county on Saturday last week have emotionally appealed to Kenyans support them in burial expenses.
Speaking during a funeral gathering at Mtopanga in Mombasa County, Mrs. Judith Akinyi Odhiambo, whose sister Alice Odidre and her husband Alfred Kasango perished in the accident, said they needed about 1 million shillings to bury the seven relatives.
Tears flowed freely as the kin mourned the seven victims of the Christmas season road crashes where dozens have so far died and many others sustained injuries.
Mrs. Odhiambo was flanked by Kenya University second-year bachelor of Commerce student Bethlene Anyango who lost both parents in the accident. Mr. Kasango engaged in ‘jua kali’ activities while Alice was a housewife at the time of death.
Other couples who died in the accident were Charles Wandala Onyango and Roselinda Wandala who are cousins and village-mate to the first couple. Other relatives who perished are Joseph Obel Ombandi, Angelina Akinyi Ochiel, and Charles Peter Osama.
The bodies are lying at the Machakos Level 5 hospital mortuary in Machakos County. The relatives will be buried at Ywaya-Tingare village in Ugunja in Ugenya, Siaya county.
“We have embarked on burial preparations for the seven relatives and this will cost about Sh1 million. we are passionately appealing to well-wishers to donate funds in order to help us bury our relatives,” Mrs. Odhiambo said.
Addressing journalists and mourners, Mrs. Odhiambo’s husband Mr. Alexander Munika said they were stuck over the cost of burial and raising school fees in the new year.
“We are appealing to Kenyans of goodwill to come to our aid since we also face the burden of raising school fees. It is a tragedy to our families,” Munika who lives in Mombasa pleaded.
Nyali politician Said Abdalla also urged well-wishers to support the families of the seven victims in the burial arrangements.
“We are going to play our part as leaders but we are also asking Kenyans of goodwill to give a helping hand,” Mr. Abdalla said.
The truck collided with the hearse that was ferrying mourners at 10 am along the Nairobi -Mombasa highway on December 23, killing the seven kin.
The relatives were going for burial in Makueni when they were involved in the accident.
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