Normalcy creeping back as traders back at Londiani Junction day after 52 perished
Barely two days after the accident at Londiani junction on the Kericho-Nakuru highway that killed at least 52 people and left 32 in hospital, vendors have returned to a section of the roadside market.
On Saturday, traders stayed away from the roadside market, which is always bustling with activity, but by Sun-day some were already back in business.
The roadside market serves as the main shopping centre for residents of Londiani, Chepseon and Kedawa in Kipkelion sub-county.
Traders whose stalls were destroyed in the accident were yesterday seen setting up temporary structures.
Mr Amos Korir, a trader in the area, said he was attending to a customer at the time of the accident. He said he was lucky as the accident happened on the other side of the road but his friend, a boda boda rider, was killed. The father of three said he returned to his fresh produce stall, which he has operated for the last 15 years, to support his family.
“We are mourning the loss of our fellow traders, but we have to continue with our business. We have families that depend on us. I sell tomatoes which are perishable. On Thursday night, I had ordered stock, which I have to ensure is cleared by today,” he said.
And on Sunday, business in the area had slowly started to get back to usual as the traders displayed their wares right by the roadside.
Literally dancing with death, the traders appear to be pushed by the rising cost of living.
Traders whose stalls were destroyed, were busy picking up the broken pieces and pitching temporary shelters to house their businesses.
Traders at Londiani Junction are back on the road two days after a horrific accident at the spot left 52 dead. Traders had kept off the roadside market on Saturday but returned to the area on Sunday.
Ms Mercy Kerubo, who sells potatoes, tomatoes and onions at the junction, said she had gone home at the time of the incident since her daughter was not feeling well. She said that since they have no other source of liveli-hood, they were forced to return to the area and continue with their businesses.
Ms Kerubo said the government’s decision to relocate their businesses will negatively affect their businesses.
“We have been told to leave the road and move our businesses to the market kilometres away. We depend on motorists and travellers who use the highway. Many will keep off especially now that the fuel prices have in-creased and many won’t come to where we are. I fear that our businesses will go down,” she said
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said on Saturday that the government is working on relocat-ing hawkers and open-air markets along the highways.
Lost control
The Friday accident involved a truck that was travelling from Nakuru towards Kericho, whose driver lost con-trol and ran over hawkers as well as rammed into several matatus, private vehicles and motorcycles.
By yesterday, 41 of the 52 bodies had been identified.
The Londiani sub-county hospital mortuary, which is designed to hold 16 bodies, had 49.
“The extra bodies need to be removed from the mortuary after positive identification by the relatives of the vic-tims,” said Dr Collins Kipkoech, the hospital’s superintendent on Saturday.
The Kenya Red Cross Society has procured 20 body bags to enable families that have identified their loved ones to transfer the bodies to other facilities.
“We are awaiting the delivery of 20 body bags which we believe will go a long way in helping to decongest the Londiani sub-county hospital mortuary,” said Kenya Red Cross South Rift Valley Regional Manager Jethro Koech.
He added that they had also set up trauma and counselling centres at Kericho County Referral Hospital and Londiani sub-county Hospital.
At the Londiani sub-county hospital mortuary yesterday, police and hospital security had a hard time controlling people who were seeking to identify the bodies of their loved ones. At one point, the crowd almost became vio-lent after the police prevented them from entering the mortuary all at once to view the bodies.
Religious leaders and counsellors also struggled to deal with a large number of relatives and friends of the vic-tims who were overwhelmed with grief, with some crying and fainting after viewing the bodies.
Doctors said it would take time to complete the reconstruction.
"We will need the families of the victims to help us put the pieces together in the reconstruction process. It is a difficult decision," Dr Koech said.
Kericho Governor Erick Mutai said the county was in dire need of a pathologist as those conducting post-mortem examinations on the victims were from Nakuru County.
“Apart from a pathologist, there is need to increase the number of counsellors to help the affected families come to terms with the reality of losing their loved ones,” said Dr Mutai.
‘Traumatising’
“Seeing the bodies like this is very traumatising for all of us because of the condition and the number of vic-tims,” said Mr Peter Mungai, who lost a relative in the accident.
Mr Erick Bett, who lost his younger brother Dennis Bett in the accident, said the high number of casualties was in itself traumatising for families and residents.
“Some of the people who came here were unable to identify the bodies of their loved ones and were forced to travel to hospitals in Kericho and Nakuru counties to search among the survivors,” Mr Bett said, adding that he had identified his brother’s body.
Reporting by Mercy Koskei, Vitalis Kimutai and Bonface Mwangi
