At the scene of the Amref plane crash in Mwihoko near Githurai 45, families are mourning their loved ones and curious Kenyans – some from more than 20 kilometres away – are hoping to have a glimpse of the aircraft.
For visitors, there is nothing to see except debris.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying unusually low over residential and commercial buildings before going down.
“The plane appeared like it was struggling to make an emergency landing when it hit several houses before crashing,” said Ms Njeri Wanjiru, a Githurai 45 resident.
Kiambu county Fire and Rescue Brigade, together with security officers, clear debris after a light plane crashed at Mwihoko, Githurai 45.
Photo credit: Courtesy: Kiambu County Fire and Rescue Brigade
Blackboxes and cockpit voice recorders play an important role in identifying the cause or causes of air crashes.
The bereaved families and close relatives of the injured are now homeless. Some could soon begin raising funds to rebuild their livelihoods or bury their loved ones.
One of them is Rahab Wamuyu, whose husband happened to be home at the time of the accident. James Gitau, a boda boda, moved into the rental house with his family barely six months ago. He died on the spot.
Gitau was at home nursing an injury from a motorcycle accident. Ms Wamuyu had left the house for casual jobs.
Ms Wamuyu told the Saturday Nation that she was informed by phone that Gitau was one of the casualties.
Kenya Airports Authority staff member inspects the wreckage at the scene where a Cessna plane belonging to Amref Flying Doctors crashed at Mwihoko area on August 7, 2025.
Photo credit: Evans Habil | Nation Media Group
“I have nothing left and don’t know where to start. Gitau was hardworking man and life will be difficult without him. We appeal for help to rebuild our lives. Everything in the house, including our clothes, was destroyed in the crash. My children and I have nowhere to sleep,” a sobbing Ms Wamuyu said yesterday.
A few metres from where Ms Wamuyu called home, another family was in mourning.
Ms Mercy Nafula’s 13-year-old daughter, Yvonne Nasimiyu, was preparing late lunch when the aircraft plunged into their rental house.
Yvonne Nasimiyu, 13, who died after an Amref aircraft crashed landed on their house in Mwihoko area on August 7, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
“I am a single mother and have no other place to go. I have not received any support from the time of the tragedy. I appeal to the government to help rebuild my life,” she said.
Amref Kenya issued a statement on Thursday, saying one of its planes – a Cessna Citation XLS – crashed shortly after taking off from Wilson Airport minutes after 2pm.
The organisation added that the plane was heading to Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, Somalia.
“Amref Flying Doctors confirms that one of its aircraft, registration 5Y-FDM, was involved in a fatal accident today.
"The aircraft took off from Wilson Airport at 1417 hours en route to Hargeisa, Somalia, and crashed in Mwihoko,” Amref Kenya Chief Executive Stephen Gitau said.
Kiambu county Fire and Rescue Brigade, together with security officers, clear debris after a light plane crashed at Mwihoko, Githurai 45.
Photo credit: Courtesy: Kiambu County Fire and Rescue Brigade
Hours later, Amref Flying Doctors issued an updated statement, saying six people – including all the four Amref Flying Doctors crew – and two people on the ground perished in the crash.
Mr Fred Kabunge, the acting Director and Chief Investigator of Aircraft Accidents at the State Department of Transport, told the Saturday Nation by phone that the blackbox had been found with the help of security officers and aviation officials who had been at the scene from the time of the accident.
“The blackbox will aid in the investigations. It will later be flown to our colleagues in the United States, Canada or France for more examination and analyses,” Mr Kabunge said.
Screengrabs of images taken from the scene of the crash.
Photo credit: Pool
The investigator added that the interim report on the plane crash will be out in the next 12 days, while the entire investigation will take a year.
“Investigations into an accident like this take time, but we are required by law to release a preliminary report, which takes into account the initial factual information,” Mr Kabunge said.
“Our main focus is to gather as much information and evidence as we can. The evidence includes radar contact.”
