How a 'joyous' teenage boda-boda ride led to the death of three friends in Kirinyaga
Fidelious Ng'ang'a, 13, Kelvin Mugambi, 17, and Morris Muriithi, 13, who died in a road accident in Gatugura village, Kirinyaga County.
What you need to know:
- Three young schoolmates from Kairegi village in Kirinyaga County died in a tragic motorcycle-truck collision on 23 February, while a fourth teenager is in critical condition in hospital.
- The accident occurred when the motorbike, reportedly borrowed by the teenagers, collided head-on with a lorry while attempting to overtake.
They were all schoolchildren and close friends from the same village.
But as fate would have it, they were all killed in a road accident on the same day, sending shockwaves through the sprawling village of Kairegi in Gichugu Constituency, Kirinyaga County.
Kelvin Mugambi, 17, a Form Two student at Kimunye Forest Secondary School, Morris Muriithi, 13, and Fidelious Ng'ang'a, 13, both Grade 9 learners at Kimunye Forest Primary School, died on February 23 during what would otherwise be a joyous ride.
However, their colleague, Hermaton Muriithi, also a Grade 9 learner from the same primary school, narrowly escaped death by a whisker and is battling for life at Kerugoya Referral Hospital where he was rushed shortly after the accident.
The accident occurred on a Sunday night when the motorcycle they were riding collided with a lorry along the Kimunye-Kutus road.
Witnesses said the lorry was travelling from Kimunye to Kutus town when it collided head-on with the motorcycle coming from the opposite direction and carrying the four teenagers.
One of the learners was riding the motorcycle when tragedy struck.
The rider was attempting to overtake a private car when he crashed into the lorry, resulting in the deaths of his three friends.
According to relatives, the children had borrowed the motorcycle from a resident for a ride when the tragedy struck.
The owner of the motorcycle has gone underground and is being sought by the police.
The children had set out for the nearby Gatugura market in the morning, and as they were returning home after enjoying a whole day's ride, they encountered the accident that left everyone in shock.
"We were at home when we heard that our children had been involved in an accident, and three succumbed to injuries on the spot. We were immediately thrown into mourning," said Susan Ngina, an aunt to the late Ng'ang'a.
Families lamented the loss of their loved ones in such a tragic accident.
"We loved our children so much but the cruel hand of death took them away," said Pastor Michael Muriuki, an uncle of the late Mugambi.
Sarah Njogu, Morris' mother, said she was at home when she received the heartbreaking news.
"When I heard what had happened, I rushed to the scene and when I arrived, I found my son among those who had lost their lives. I almost collapsed," said Ms Njogu.
The families are calling for a thorough investigation to establish the true circumstances of the accident.
They also want legal action taken against the person who gave the children the motorcycle.
"The person who gave our children the motorbike made a grave mistake and should not be spared. Children should not be given motorbikes as they are not trained to ride them," said Ms Florence Gakuru, a cousin of Morris.
The families said the children were neighbours who spent weekends together.
"These children used to play and visit places together when they were not in school. They loved each other but unfortunately their lives have been cut short," said Mrs Faith Micere.
The families are now making funeral arrangements to give their loved ones a proper send-off.
Kirinyaga-East Sub-County Police Commander Johnson Wachira confirmed that the three died on the spot and that their bodies are at Kerugoya Referral Hospital mortuary.
He said investigations had begun to establish the true circumstances of the accident, which occurred at 10pm and caused a major traffic jam.
"It was a serious accident that claimed the lives of three young people and we want to know exactly what happened," Mr Wachira said.
Residents said they heard a loud crash and rushed to the scene, only to find the bodies of the victims strewn across the tarmac.
"When we arrived, we were shocked to see the young victims lying in pools of blood," said Mr Perminus Wachira.
"We have lost very young people from our village. They were school children from some of the area's learning institutions, and we are now mourning their deaths," said Ms Purity Wangui.
Residents urged the government to install speed bumps in the area to prevent such fatal accidents.
The police boss also advised parents against allowing their children to ride motorcycles.
"Children are not trained to ride motorcycles and can easily get involved in accidents. Parents should stop allowing their children to ride motorcycles to protect their lives," said Mr Wachira.
Following the accident, the lorry driver was arrested for questioning and will be charged in court with causing death through careless driving, police said.
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