MURANG’A — First Lady Rachael Ruto today attended a memorial service in Murang’a County to honour 16 members of one family who perished in a tragic road accident at Kikopey.
The service, held at St. Mathews Kahiga Catholic Church, drew hundreds of mourners who gathered to remember the victims and comfort the bereaved family.
In her message of condolence, Mrs Ruto said the scale of the loss was “too heavy for words.” She spoke of the silence left in homes, the empty chairs at family tables, and the laughter that will never return. “These are wounds that will take a lifetime to heal,” she said.
She stood alongside clergy, community leaders, and relatives of the deceased, urging the community to remain united in prayer and support. “Today we stand together to honour their memory, to pray for healing, and to comfort one another in the face of this unimaginable loss,” she added.
The accident, which claimed the lives of 16 relatives travelling together, has left the community reeling. At the service, mourners lit candles and sang hymns as names of the deceased were read out. Many wept openly, while others embraced one another for strength.
Church leaders described the tragedy as one of the worst to hit the county in recent memory. “It is a reminder of both the fragility of life and the importance of standing together in times of grief,” said Father Joseph Ndirangu, who led the mass.
The memorial came as road safety concerns once again took centre stage nationally, with calls for stronger measures to prevent such devastating accidents.
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