A nine-year-old boy from Murang'a County has been hailed as a hero for his quick actions in helping to save nine passengers in the tragic Kiama River accident on Saturday night, which claimed six lives, five of whom were from the same family.
The passengers had been travelling from Kiambu, where they had attended a dowry negotiation ceremony for a relative, when the Nissan matatu vehicle they were travelling in plunged into the river.
Six of the passengers were killed instantly, while nine were injured.
River Kiama bridge in Murang'a county, the scene where six people lost their lives as they were travelling home from a dowry paying ceremony in Kiambu. Five of them were from the same family.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation
Boniface Njoroge, a Grade Three pupil at Gatunguru Primary School, had accompanied his parents and managed to jump out of the vehicle as it sank. He then ran to a nearby shopping centre and called for help.
The six victims, including Boniface's father, Paul Karanja, perished, but Boniface escaped unharmed. By running to alert the residents of the shopping centre, he helped save the others, including his mother, Alice Wangechi.
Alice Wangeci during an interview at Kahunyu village, Murang'a County, on October 27, 2025. She was one of nine people to survive the incident in Gatunyu village, which left six people dead, five of whom were her family members. Her husband, Paul Karanja, died in the incident.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation
In the village of Ndia, which is reeling in shock, we found Boniface playing with his friends.
When we asked him what had happened, the boy, who appeared unaware of the magnitude of his actions, said: “We were travelling back home when the matatu plunged into the river and as the water started gushing in, I managed to jump out and ran towards the nearby Chomo shopping center and called for help. I met a bodaboda rider and informed him what had happened and he raised an alarm. People rushed to the river to rescue those trapped in the vehicle.”
Ms Wangechi said that when she came to, she was floating in the water, and her first thought was that her son had died. She later discovered that he was the one who had saved them.
Recounting the events that unfolded after the accident, Ms Wangechi said that they had survived through the grace of God, despite losing her husband, Paul Karanja.
“Bonie was seated at the back with another boy and I wasn't aware he had jumped out. After I was rescued, I started screaming asking where my son was. They told me he is the one who had gone to seek help," said the mother.
Peter Gachuru recounts how he survived the Kahunyu accident in Murang'a County on Saturday, which left six people dead. He revealed that the driver had warned him that the brakes had failed before the vehicle plunged into the River Kiama.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation
The others who died include Peter Mwangi, his wife Alice Wambui, Elijah Kamau, Amos Kiharu, and an unidentified woman who had been given a lift by the driver.
Another survivor, Peter Gachuru, who was sitting next to the driver, praised the boy for his quick action.
“The scene of the accident is a deserted area since there are no homes and is about two kilometres from the shopping center. Were it not for the boy who was brave and jumped out of the vehicle as it was getting submerged and raised an alarm, we would have drowned," he said.
Peter Mwangi, 67, and his wife Alice Wambui, who perished in a matatu incident at Kahunyu village, Gatanga, in Murang'a County on Saturday night.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation
“I was seated at the co-driver's seat and I got concerned when the driver started shouting and got confused, saying the brakes had failed. But much as he claimed the brakes had failed, he had engaged free gear downhill, the reason he was unable to control the vehicle when it picked momentum and started hurtling towards the river," Ms Gachuru recounted.
The River Kiama Bridge in Murang'a County was the scene of a tragedy in which six people lost their lives while travelling home from a dowry-paying ceremony.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation
“I got stuck after my legs were trapped by the dashboard and only suffered minor injuries on the leg. I didn’t drown since I kept on lifting my upper body as the water level kept rising, reaching my chest before I was rescued by the bodaboda rider," he added.
Paul Karanja was one of six people who lost their lives in Kahunyu village, Murang'a. His wife, Alice Wangeci, and his son, Boniface Njoroge, survived.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation
Residents said they had on several occasions raised concerns over the state of the Wachengu bridge along Chomo-Kahunyo road, which has been without guardrails for many years, despite being located on a sharp corner with a steep slope
On Tuesday, a sombre mood engulfed the homes as relatives, neighbours, and friends trooped in to console the families of the five family members who perished in the accident.
The wreckage of the matatu that plunged into the River Kiama, killing six people in Kahunyu village, Murang'a County, on Saturday, was packed outside the Ndururumo police post.
Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation
Mr Elias Muchiri said the five were his three brothers, his sister-in-law who succumbed together with her husband and a nephew. He pleaded for support to help them bury their loved ones, saying the budget was too high.
“The burden is too huge for us to bear and as a family we appeal for financial assistance since there are hospital bills, mortuary fees, and funeral expenses. We call upon the county and national government, public and well-wishers to come to our aid,” Mr Muchiri said.
