Ms Esther Wairimu was excited to get a lift to her aunt’s place in Murang’a but was reluctant to board a boda boda that already had two pillion passengers alongside the rider.
But she brushed aside her unease after one of the passengers identified himself as a police officer who would ensure they were not arrested for breaking the law had they run into a police road block.
Unknown to her, the traffic violation should have been the least of her concern. Three minutes into the ride on the morning of February 7, she was dead.
Esther Wairimu died in a road crash involving a boda boda in Murang'a County.
Photo credit: Courtesy
According to Kigumo police boss Mr Kiprono Tanui, the fourth passenger is fighting for his life at Murang'a Level Four Hospital.
"The scene was horrific. All the four hit the tarmac heads first and an oncoming car crushed them," he said.
According to Wairimu’s uncle Mr Patrick Kairu, the casual labourer at their Gatumbi village in Kigumo constituency was working hard to save money to enroll for a plant operator course in Thika Town.
"She needed to raise about Sh100,000. By the time she died she had about Sh63,000," Mr Kairu said.
"I personally would give her tea harvesting job as well as have her occasionally help me in my business at the Gatumbi market," he told Nation.Africa.
It is that saving culture in her that when her aunt called her to go and help with some tasks for pay that she showed up at the matatu stage at Kamung'ang'a Githioro near her home.
Ms Lucy Wanjiku, a banana vendor at the stage, recalled "she gave me Sh200 asking for loose cash to enable her bargain for the fare to Muriranja's.”
"A jovial girl well known to me, she joked that a journey to the mortuary should not be worth the Sh100 that was normally charged, that she would bargain to pay Sh70," Ms Wanjiku said.
The scene of the road crash where Esther Wairimu lost her life alongside two other people on February 7, 2025.
Photo credit: Mwangi Muiruri | Nation Media Group
The trader asked Ms Wairimu why she was visiting the mortuary but it was clarified that she was only visiting her aunt who lived near the facility.
With Sh100 note and Sh100 in coins, Ms Wairimu returned to the bus stop.
"A few minutes later, a motorcycle that had three males showed up. She flagged it down but upon seeing it had three on board, she waved it on," Ms Wanjiku said.
Ms Wanjiku remembered hearing these words from the rider of the motorcycle: "Wewe kuja msupa tukupee lift... Warembo huwanga tunawabeba sare... Hii iko na space usijali (Beautiful one, come we give you a lift, I don't charge beautiful ones. There is space for you, don't you worry)."
"One of the pillion passengers identified himself as a police officer and shower her his badge. The man also shouted out his name thus: Constable Edmond Maina from Kangema police station. What police can arrest police?" Ms Wanjiku recalled.
A kilometre away, the motorcycle crashed and Ms Wairimu was among the three dead on the spot.
Mr Tanui further confirmed that "it is true that among the dead was my fellow officer attached to Kangema police station."
“We are partnering with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that as many possible of our bodaboda riders get empowered with driving skills and be licensed to use the roads with an additional road safety awareness programmes to escape such tragedies," said Murang'a County Youth, Sports and Culture Chief Executive Officer Mr Manoah Gachucha.
