Twenty minutes after Josh Otieno said goodbye to her wife and 17-year-old daughter who was going back to school, he received the heartbreaking news of their demise in an accident.
The two were among 10 individuals who died in an accident along the Londiani- Muhoroni Road on Tuesday, September 3.
Speaking at St. Vincent mission hospital morgue, where he went to view the bodies of his loved ones, Josh narrated the last moments he shared with them.
He recalled seeing off his wife and daughter by the roadside and speaking to them on phone minutes into the journey.
Also Read: Survivor of Accident that Killed 12 Narrates Last Moments
Man Narrates Incident with Matatu Conductor
However, Josh revealed that his wife was hesitant about boarding the ill-fated matatu.
He said that the conductor of the vehicle was adamant about them boarding the vehicle, and his wife eventually gave in to travelling to Kisumu city center with the vehicle.
Twenty minutes later, he received a call from his son, informing him that both his wife and daughter had been involved in an accident, and they had both passed away.
“They wanted to board another vehicle, but the conductor insisted that they board the vehicle to Kisumu. We spoke a few minutes after they boarded the vehicle and later, I received a call from my son, that both of them had died,” he said.
The families of the victims of the accident camped at the St. Vincent mission hospital morgue to identify the bodies of their loved ones.
Many of the parents stated that they lost children who were on their way back to school.
Also Read: Nine People Killed as Matatu Collides with Trailer Along Highway
Details of the Accident
Speaking after the accident, Kericho County Commander Geoffrey Mayek confirmed that the road accident involved a matatu operating under Kamtco Sacco and a truck which was ferrying maize flour.
The area Assistant Chief Gregory Kemei said that the accident happened when the driver of the truck which was heading towards Londiani direction lost control after hitting a pothole.
Further, Kemei said that this caused the truck veering off the lane and ramming into the oncoming matatu heading towards Kisumu direction which was ferrying more than ten passengers.
As of August 27, 2024, data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) revealed that more than 3,000 people have died on Kenyan roads since the beginning of the year.
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