By Our Reporter
A bride and four relatives of the groom were killed in a road accident along the Eldoret-Malaba Kenya highway on Sunday morning.
The families were returning from visiting the bride’s family, Brenda Masakhwe, 29, when their vehicle, a Toyota Probox, collided with an oncoming fuel tanker in Murgus area.
Five people died on the spot and two others suffered serious injuries in the crash that also involved a tractor.
Masakhwe was a fiancée to Nicholas Biwot whose relatives had travelled from Elgeyo Marakwet on Saturday to the bride’s family home in Kakamega County.
Those who died were Arap Bett, William Nyetuko, Hellen Mengich and Mary Chole.
The injured Ann Koskey (mother of the groom) and his aunt Seline Chelimo are admitted at St Luke’s Hospital in Eldoret.
The tanker, according to witnesses, lost control after hitting a slow-moving tractor heading towards Bungoma direction.
Biwot’s father, Simon Koskey, said six of his relatives had left his home at Kapkoros village at 8am on Saturday for the ‘introduction ceremony’ at the home of the bride.
“During this ceremony, the wife-to-be is brought to the home where she is expected to get married. But in this case, she never reached my home. She died on the road,” explained Mr Koskey at Lumakanda police station in Lugari amid sobs.
Mr Koskey said he last talked to his wife on the phone at around 4pm when she informed him that they had concluded the visit at their in-laws and were preparing to return home.
Mr Koskey, who was accompanied by his daughter Dorcas Chebet, said everyone thought that the ceremony was the beginning of a beautiful journey for the two families.
“After the introduction ceremony, I was supposed to take dowry to the parents of the girl so that the two children can be allowed to hold a wedding, according to our culture,” he added.
When Mr Koskey called the group the last time, they told him that they were on the Eldoret-Malaba highway.
They did not answer their phones again.
He said he received reports about the accident from one of his brothers who had released his vehicle to be used during the trip.
“The next call was from my daughter who works in Eldoret. She informed me about the accident and that their mother and aunt were being admitted in hospital in Eldoret town. I was shock-striken because this is a wound that will never heal,” he said.
Ms Dorcas Chebet said her brother, Biwot, stays in Nairobi and that is where he had met with Ann.
“We did not know her and we were prepared to receive her into our family. Death scuttled the joy and expectations that we had. We never thought we would lose her like this. We are deeply wounded by the tragedy,” she said.
Police reports indicate that the accident happened when the driver of the fuel tanker lost control, hit a tractor that was ferrying hardcore and crossed the road to the opposite direction where it rammed into the oncoming Probox vehicle.
Kakamega County traffic police officer Christopher Meme said the driver of the ill-fated fuel tanker also sustained injuries and was admitted to hospital within Eldoret town.
“We shall do our best to ensure the family gets justice. Already, they have filled the forms to conduct postmortem so that they can pick the bodies for burial,” said Mr Meme.
The bride’s aunt Janet Ingonga said the bodies have been transferred from Webuye hospital mortuary to Iten mortuary. Burials including of the girl are planned on Thursday in Elgeyo Marakwet.
