United in faith and death: Mombasa church holds mass for 17 pilgrims killed in Salama horror crash

By  Winnie Atieno

Correspondent

Nation Media Group

The St Matthias Mulumba Catholic Church in Mikindani, Mombasa County, was filled with grief on Thursday as families and friends gathered to bid farewell to 17 pilgrims whose journey in search of prayer and a deeper connection with God ended in tragedy.

Hundreds of mourners joined a requiem mass for the victims, with calls for safer roads and stronger measures to prevent further loss of life dominating the proceedings.

For their families, however, the mass was less about the circumstances of their deaths and more about remembering the relatives, friends and members of a close-knit community who had set out on a journey of faith.

The tragedy also brought political leaders together, with Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and other leaders pledging to support the bereaved families.

Jomvu MP Badi Twalib urged motorists to exercise greater caution, saying the deaths should serve as a reminder of the consequences of reckless driving.

“We have been hit by tragedy, but I urge all the drivers to be cautious. We have lost our kin due to reckless driving on our roads,” he said.

Mr Twalib called on the Ministry of Transport to establish emergency centres at road blackspots to improve response times when crashes occur.

He said that although a joint mass had been held for the victims, they would be buried in different counties, including Kisii, Migori and Taita-Taveta. He added that President William Ruto had released Sh12.5 million towards the burial arrangements.

Mombasa Woman Representative Zamzam Mohammed focused on another concern: the movement of heavy trucks carrying construction materials on major highways.

She called for designated routes for such vehicles to reduce their interaction with other road users.

“The government should consider having a different road for truck drivers. Many of them are very reckless,” she said.

The calls came as the government announced plans to redesign and dualise sections of the Nairobi-Mombasa Road and map blackspots across the country following a series of fatal crashes.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir recently said the Kenya National Highways Authority had completed designs for sections targeted for redesign and dualling, with funding now required to implement the plans.

“The designs have been done by the Kenya National Highways Authority. It’s just a question of making budgetary provision and to quickly correct what happened during the weekend,” Mr Chirchir said in a Citizen television interview days after the Salama crash.

A preliminary report into the crash attributed it to loss of lane discipline by a lorry while overtaking a fleet of vehicles. It also cited a curved, descending section of the road that resulted in poor visibility.

But inside the Mikindani church, the focus was on the lives behind the numbers.

Coadjutor Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa Dominic Kimengich reminded mourners that those who died had not simply been travelling to an event.

“They did not die on their way to Subukia as tourists. They were pilgrims. They thirsted to know God more,” he said.

His words resonated with a community mourning together with members of other Christian denominations, including the Seventh-day Adventist Church, joining hundreds of Mikindani residents at the mass.

Joseph Mwanthi, who read a tribute on behalf of the 17 families, described the loss as a devastating blow to both the families and the wider community.

“On behalf of my family and all those who have lost their kin from the Subukia Shrine journey, this death was a big blow to us as a family and as Christians in Mikindani. But we have accepted God’s will,” he said.

“I want to thank those who have stood with us during these trying times. Continue praying for us,” he added.

The grief also cut across denominations, with church leaders saying the loss had united the community in mourning.

The Regional Bishop for the Northern Coast Region of the Redeemed Gospel Church, Bishop Lambert Mbela, in Mikindani, said the tragedy had affected residents regardless of their faith.

“This death has hit us both as Mikindani residents, where we live as a closely knit community. Nothing separates us as residents. A time like this, we must come together,” Bishop Mbela said.

“Faith unites us just like death. The grief, sadness and pain cut across every human emotion. We share in your pain, sorrow and grief. May God continue to strengthen you,” he said.

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