Grief swept through a congregation of Mombasa’s religious community as a pastors' fellowship launched a Sh10 million fundraising drive to bury three of their colleagues killed in the Mtito Andei crash.
This came amidst escalating demands for the government to dual the Mombasa–Nairobi Highway so as to curb deadly road accidents.
The three were among the 24 people killed on Sunday morning when a return-journey bus collided with a heavy cargo truck at Kanga, near Mtito Andei. The vehicle was carrying 50 passengers including 12 pastors, church members, and relatives returning to Mombasa after attending the burial of a fellow bishop in Lugari, Kakamega County.
Speaking during a solemn interfaith gathering in Mombasa on Tuesday, Fellowship Secretary General Rev Elijah Waini revealed that out of the passengers on board, 23 died on the spot while 24 others sustained injuries. He said they found 23 bodies at the Mtito Andei Mortuary and another at Kambuu.
Members of the Grace Healing Centre Church immersed in prayer following the deaths of their members in the fatal bus-truck collision at Mtito Andei.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation
“Our hearts are shattered. The church is in tears, and pastors are crying. We spent two days in Mtito Andei consoling victims and identifying the bodies of our brethren,” Mr Waini said.
“This is a national disaster, and we are appealing to President William Ruto and all well-wishers to stand with us during a joint memorial and fundraiser targeted for November 12, 2026,” added the clergy.
Mr Waini expressed gratitude to Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr, whose administration waived all hospital and post-mortem bills, preserved the bodies, and provided ambulances to transfer the deceased back to Mombasa for preservation.
However, one body belonging to a police officer stationed in Mikindani, who was also an ordained minister, remains at Mtito Andei Sub-County Hospital. Sources said transfer of the body was awaiting instructions from the National Police Service (NPS), although Nation could not independently confirm from his family.
The Presiding Bishop of the Campaign for Salvation and Healing Ministry (Cashem), Bishop Elijah Janabi, recounted the agonising final moments of his ordained minister, Reverend Joseph Vura.
“I ordained Rev Vura in 2008. He was a valiant soldier in the Kingdom whose work speaks for itself,” Bishop Janabi said.
He said Pastor Vura survived the initial impact with severe head injuries and was rushed to Kambuu Hospital for emergency care.
“Doctors fought hard to save him, but he suffered massive blood loss and passed away. His wife is deeply traumatised, and we are working to ensure he gets a respectful farewell,” he added.
Reflecting on the spate of road crashes that has claimed 40 lives of Coast residents in less than a month, Bishop Janabi emphasised that infrastructure deficiencies are directly killing citizens. This is following an October 4 crash at Salama that killed 17 Catholic pilgrims from Mikindani.
“If that road were a dual carriageway, that trailer and the bus would never have met in a head-on collision. The central government must take action,” he said.
The pastors said since the President was on his Ukambani development tour when the accident happened, he ought to have gone to console the grieving families.
The tragedy has reignited intense political heat over the state of the Mombasa–Nairobi transport corridor, with leaders rejecting claims that driver error is solely to blame. Mombasa Deputy Governor Francis Thoya criticised the government’s failure to expand the highway despite its status as the region’s primary trade artery.
“The other time we lost 17 people in Salama; a few weeks later, we have more dead. How many must die before the state takes corrective steps?” Mr Thoya asked.
“This is a highway connecting the capital to a port city. The heavy traffic within this corridor can no longer be accommodated by a single lane. Previous attempts by American and Korean firms to dual the road were dropped, but the only lasting solution to end this carnage is a dual carriageway,” he added.
Echoing the sentiment, East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP, Mr Suleiman Shahbal stressed that expanding the highway is both a human safety priority and an economic imperative for East Africa.
EALA MP Suleiman Shahbal (second left) with Mikindani MCA Jacktone Madialo (second right) and other officials pledge to support the burial of the Mtito Andei Accident Victims in this photo taken on 26th October 2026.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation
“We are tired of burying our people because of reckless road conditions. The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) cannot carry all the cargo leaving the Port of Mombasa, so the road network must be expanded,” said Mr Shahbal when he went to console the pastors in Changamwe.
He also urged the clergy to extend their fundraising efforts beyond funeral arrangements to secure the future of the children left behind.
“The three pastors and faithful have left behind young children who need school fees and care. We must set a new tradition where we fundraise not just for burials, but to establish dedicated education funds to support orphans affected by such tragedies,” said Mr Shahbal.
As burial arrangements continue, churches across the city have decided to convert their Sunday services into prayer sessions for the 24 survivors still recuperating in various hospitals.
