Nyeri politician Purity Karaya is reeling from shock and grief after discovering that one of the victims of a tragic road accident she had rushed to assist on Sunday night was her own cousin.
The accident, which occurred along the busy Kenol–Marua highway at Bantu Africa, involved a Kasamuthi Sacco matatu.
Several passengers lost their lives in the crash, while others were left with serious injuries.
Karaya, who was on her way home, said she witnessed the horrific scene unfold and immediately stopped to help the victims despite the absence of emergency services.
“It was a very bad accident. I stopped because there was no ambulance and people were crying out for help. I had to call Ken Nduati to come and assist since the situation was dire,” she told reporters.
But the tragedy struck closer to home than she could have imagined.
Hours later, Karaya said she received a shattering call from her mother.
“One of the people who died in that accident was your own cousin,” her mother told her in a trembling voice.
The revelation left Karaya devastated.
“I’m really traumatized,” she said, her eyes welling with tears.
“It is one thing to witness strangers suffering, but another to learn that your own blood was among the dead. My heart is broken.”
The emotional weight of the loss has not only shaken Karaya but also her family and the broader Nyeri community.
Residents who know her described the accident as a grim reminder of the fragility of life and the urgent need for improved emergency response along Kenya’s major highways.
Police have confirmed the crash and indicated that investigations into its cause are underway.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to Nyeri County Referral Hospital morgue, while survivors are receiving treatment at nearby health facilities.
