Ruto pledges support for Salama crash victims funeral plans

President William Ruto has pledged to support funeral arrangements for the 17 families who lost their loved ones in the Salama road accident.

Jomvu MP Badi Twalib said President Ruto called him after the crash and pledged to support all the bereaved families with the burial arrangements.

“President Ruto called me personally as the area MP following this loss. He has also promised to support all the 17 families who lost their loved ones in the road accident. Some will travel to Nyanza, Ukambani and Central Kenya, so we are grateful to the President for his support. This would have been a heavy burden for the families, and we are grateful to the Head of State,” said Mr Twalib.

Speaking at St Mathias Mulumba Catholic Church in Mikindani on Sunday, Mr Twalib said the President had tasked Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo with ensuring the families received the necessary support. He said Dr Omollo was in contact with Mombasa County Commissioner Mohamed Noor to coordinate the arrangements.

Nine bodies of the pilgrims who died in the road accident are being preserved at Jocham Hospital mortuary in Mombasa after arriving a few hours past midnight, as burial arrangements begin.

Mr Martin Obwaka, who led the delegation that travelled to Salama to collect the bodies, said the remains arrived in Mombasa at about 4am on Monday.

“We have brought nine bodies. We arrived at around 4am,” he told the Nation by phone.

Mr Obwaka said the delegation, which included relatives of some of the victims, ensured the bodies were properly preserved before leaving the morgue at about 6am.

Records at the hospital gate indicate that the bodies arrived at about 3:50am in three hearses.

“I recorded these three hearses. They brought in the bodies of the Salama accident victims,” a worker at the facility said.

The delegation then proceeded to Mikindani Catholic Church for prayers. The bodies will remain at Jocham Hospital mortuary as the families and the church make arrangements for their final send-off.

Leaders in Mombasa joined hands to condole with the families who lost their loved ones in the accident.

Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir disclosed that only one of the 17 bodies was yet to be identified. Mr Nassir said he was working with his Makueni counterpart, Mutula Kilonzo, to coordinate the post-mortem examination.

He assured the families and the church that the county government would support them through the process.

“Do not worry about anything. We will cater for everything. May God ease your pain,” he said.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi called for a thorough investigation into the crash, saying those responsible should be held accountable. He called on authorities to establish the cause of the crash and ensure the bereaved families receive justice.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.