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AT LEAST 18 PERISH IN ENZIU ACCIDENT

A police report seen by Mwingi Times shows that a bus belonging to St Joseph’s Seminary in Mwingi town while transporting people to attend a church wedding at Nuu Catholic Church was swept away by flood waters as it attempted to cross the drift along River Enziu on the Nguni-Nuu Road.

The St Joseph's Seminary Mwingi bus which was carrying at least 30 persons plunged into River Enziu killing 18 on the spot. Kitui Deputy Governor Wathe Nzau says the accident would have been avoided if the driver waited for water to subside. Photo/COURTESY

Police report shows that the bus was carrying an unknown number of persons when the incident happened. “The bus was carrying an unknown number of persons when the incident happened”, reads the police report in part.

As the rescue efforts went on, police reported that at least 10 people had been retrieved from the scene of accident.

The bus was carrying at least 30 passengers who were choir members of Mwingi Catholic Church. Police revealed that the choir members were going to their male colleague’s wedding in Nuu.

Unfortunately, another ten persons were confirmed dead by Mwingi East Sub County Police Commander Joseph Yakan.

Kitui Deputy Governor Dr Wathe Nzau has said that at least 18 people who drowned in the area could have been avoided if the driver knew the terrain well.

According to Dr Nzau, the driver did not know that the area had a rugged part as he steered the vehicle on the overtopped part.

Sources say that it is at the broken part of the road that the bus lost control, plunging into River Enziu, killing 18 on the spot.

The bus was ferrying at least 30 members of Mwingi Catholic Church who were going to Nuu from Mwingi town for a wedding event.

The death trap had caused a number of other accidents in the past.  The government had pledged to construct a stronger overpass to prevent further loss of lives.

Dr Nzau says that the driver should have been patient enough to wait for the water to subside before crossing the river. “I wish he would have waited for the water to subside before driving over the bridge”, he told The Standard newspaper in an interview.

 STORY BY MUSYOKA NGUI, EDITED BY BRIAN MUSYOKA

 

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