During a celebration to seek parental blessings for their colleague Damaris Kathira on Saturday, they danced to tunes of Ohangla beats, going round in circles, in what was a day to remember.
A video circulating on social media on the event shows several women in a happy mood and full of life, oblivious of the danger that awaited them that evening.
On their way back to Rongai, Kajiado County, as fate would have it, the Toyota Hiace they were traveling in was involved in a head-on collision with a pick-up and all passengers in the vehicle perished.
The site of the Nithi bridge accident that killed 12 people on August 31, 2024.
Photo credit: Pool | Nation
One of the travellers who spoke to the media said the van was in a convoy of vehicles ferrying a group of friends who were in Meru for a parental blessing ceremony.
“We were going back to Kajiado after the ceremony. When we reached the steep descent, I saw the vehicle ahead of us (ill-fated Hiace) veer off the road.”
“It crossed the barriers dividing the two-lane stretch and collided with an oncoming pickup. There were 10 adults and two children in the vehicle,” the witness said.
According to police, when the driver started descending towards the bridge, he drove on the climbing lane.
Tharaka Nithi Police Commander Zacheaus Ng’eno on Sunday said those who died included 10 adults and two children. Only two people survived.
“The vehicle was new to the Meru-Embu road and was on the wrong lane when the accident happened. We have collected 10 bodies while two injured passengers are recuperating in hospital,” Mr Ng’eno said.
The wreckage of a van that was involved in an accident at the deadly Nithi bridge. At least 12 people died on the spot.
Photo credit: Gitonga Marete| Nation Media Group
Mr Alex Mugambi, the head of disaster management in Tharaka Nithi County, said when the distress call came, they moved swiftly and arrived at the scene only to be met by the horror.
On Sunday, there was a sombre mood at Kirirwa village, where the celebration was held.
Ms Pamela Mukaba, who spoke on behalf of Ms Kathira who could not speak to the media since she was still in shock after losing her friends in the crash, said they were happy all day only to be met with shock in the evening.
“We celebrated in dance and after the event we prayed together for journey mercies. They boarded three vehicles, two of them 14-seaters and a personal car. Later at around 8pm we were told one of the vehicles had been involved in an accident,” she said.
She however clarified that a video circulating on social media had created the impression that all those dancing died.
“The photos and video are misleading because all the other people arrived safely,” she added.
Dr Maurine Ogeto, the Medical Superintendent of Chuka Level Five Hospital, said a desk would be set up at the hospital to support families of those going to identify the bodies of their loved ones.
“We will be there to support the families and we will also promise counseling,” Dr Ogeto said.
The redesigning of the killer Nithi Bridge on the Meru-Embu highway has, for years, been a subject of discussions by politicians, with President William Ruto recently promising that it would be rebuilt.
On Sunday while speaking at a church function in Imenti South, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said he would personally follow up on the matter, adding that he had spoken to Transport ministry officials who indicated that the designs would soon be completed.
“I am aware that President Ruto made the promise and the government is committed to achieving that,” he said.
“I have spoken to the Transport principal secretary who has told me the designs are almost complete and I have instructed him to fast-track the process. We have continued to lose many people at the spot which is not right and I will personally follow it up.”
During a recent tour by Dr Ruto in the county, Governor Muthoni Njuki asked the president to help in fast-tracking the process.
“Redesigning the killer Nithi is expensive but I have confidence that by 2027 it is achievable,” said Mr Njuki.
In February this year, the government kicked off the process of redesigning the bridge to reduce accidents.
Officials from Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) held a consultative meeting with Tharaka Nithi County leaders, led by Deputy Governor Nyaga Muisrael, on the proposed interventions.
The KeNHA team led by Mr Njiru Njue, a senior land valuer, blamed the frequent accidents on the design of the 50-meter-long bridge which was constructed in 1985 and assured the road users that the government was committed to providing a permanent solution.
He said due to a mountainous terrain and the presence of sharp horizontal curves, the road was unfavorable for the indicated speed and had limited sight distances— making it difficult to navigate safely.
The official said proposed interventions include redesigning the bridge and constructing a new one to eliminate the sharp horizontal curves and steep gradients spanning three kilometers between Marima and Mitheru markets.
The second option is the improvement of the old road, locally known as Old Marima Road, which is currently in murram condition and which diverts just before the current bridge from the Embu direction.
“The government is determined to offer a permanent solution and the authority is now looking for the best solution and that is why we are here for a public participation session with the county government officials,” said Mr Njue.
