By Andrew Mbuva.
A sombre mood engulfed Kithing’iisyo Primary School grounds in Nthongoni, Kibwezi, as families, residents, leaders and mourners gathered to bid farewell to four victims of the tragic Kalembwani road accident.
Peter Mutuku Muasa, Morris Muasya Kimeu, Theophilus Mbuvi Katwa and Benson Nzyoka David were laid to rest amid emotional scenes, with relatives and members of the community mourning lives cut short in the devastating accident.
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. joined the bereaved families and hundreds of mourners at the burial, where the community came together in a show of solidarity with families affected by the tragedy.
The governor assured the bereaved families that the Makueni County Government would continue standing with them during the difficult period. He also commended health workers at county hospitals for their response following the accident, saying their intervention demonstrated dedication and commitment to saving lives during emergencies.
The Kalembwani tragedy claimed the lives of eight people after a matatu ferrying more than 50 passengers to a dowry ceremony in Katulye was involved in a grisly road accident.
The accident occurred on August 14, 2026 at Maumba in Ikangavya Sub-location, Nzaui, after the vehicle, popularly known as Nidhamu, veered off the road and rolled for about a kilometre down a steep slope before landing in a stream.
The passengers, who included family members and villagers from Nthongoni in Kibwezi, were travelling to attend the traditional dowry ceremony when tragedy struck, plunging the community into mourning.
During the burial ceremony, Governor Kilonzo also conveyed his condolences to Kibwezi East MP Jessica Mbalu following the death of her husband, former High Court judge Justice Joseph Mutava Mbalu. Reports on Saturday confirmed the former judge's death, drawing condolences from family, friends and leaders.
As the four victims were laid to rest, the burial became a poignant moment of collective grief and unity, with the Nthongoni community standing alongside the bereaved families as they mourned the victims of one of the region's most devastating road accidents.
