- Speaking on phone, subcounty police commander Raphael Mutiso confirmed that five of the accident victims were girls while one was a boy.
- He said two girls and a boy were pupils at Kyoani Primary School while the three girls were students at Kyoani Secondary School.
Image: MUSEMBI NZENGU
Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua and two former Cabinet ministers Peninah Malonza and Charity Ngilu have condoled with families of the six children who died in a road accident Friday morning.
The children died along the Kitui-Kibwezi road after being hit by a Probox car as they walked to school at around 6.20am.
The leaders conveyed their condolences to the bereaved families and the community where the children were attending school before their untimely demise.
“This is a big blow, not only to the people of Kyoani, Kitui South but to Kitui county and Kenya at large. Losing the lives of six children as they walked to school is unbearable,” Wambua said.
The senator spoke at Mutomo police station where he condoled with relatives of the departed children and urged KeNHA to act and tame the Kyaoni stretch of Kitui-Kibwezi road.
“Many lives have been lost recently. The area is overtly a black spot and has to be tamed. Road signs indicating that the area is a black spot must be erected. Building of speed bumps should also be considered,” Wambua said.
Malonza said: "I take this opportunity to personally convey my condolences to the families of the children whose lives have been lost in the morning fatal accident along the Kitui-Kibwezi road.
“I want to pass my sympathies to the families. I pray that the Almighty God will give bereaved families adequate solace. The families should have strength in the God who offers us comfort.”
Malonza described the deaths as a big loss not only to the people of Kitui South but to the entire Kitui county.
She pledged to reach out to the CS in charge of Roads and Transport to have the section of the road where the accident occured installed with road signs and speed bumps to help avert more fatal accidents.
Ngilu on her part said it was shocking and frightening to be hit by the news of the untimely deaths of young children who were innocently walking to school.
"I'm so sorry to the parents and convey my heartfelt condolence message to the entire village. In no time, I will visit them to personally convey my condolences in person,” she said.
She prayed for God's grace to the families of the children to bear with the loss.
Image: HANDOUT
Speaking on phone, subcounty police commander Raphael Mutiso confirmed that five of the accident victims were girls while one was a boy.
He said two girls and a boy were pupils at Kyoani Primary School while the three girls were students at Kyoani Secondary School.
Mutisto said the vehicle was travelling the from Makindu in Makueni county to Mutomo when the driver appeared to have lost control of the vehicle at Kyoani making the vehicle to hit the children who were walking beside the road, killing them on the spot.
He said their bodies were removed to Mutomo mortuary a few kilometers from Kyoani where the accident occurred.
Mutiso said although the driver fled from the scene soon after the accident, he gave himself up at the Mutomo police station.
He said the driver was booked into the cell and the vehicle impounded as investigations in to the cause of the fatal accident commenced.
Kyoani assistant chief, Patrick Mutisya who was among the first responders, said that the Probox was speeding when it veered off the road causing the deaths of the six innocent school children.
The administrator said fatal accidents involving speeding vehicles have been a common occurrence along the stretch around Kyoani on the Kitui -Kibwezi road.
He called on the Roads ministry to erect speed bumps to reduce the increasing number of fatal accidents along the stretch to save lives.