Imagine having to bear the death of multiple loved ones all at once, in very unfortunate circumstances where they all perish together. This is the case with Kenya’s late former Member of Parliament, George Nthenge, who not only lost his wife but also nine of their children in a single tragic incident.
In this segment, Times Digital Kenya takes a look at how George Nthenge lost his loved ones all at once and how it has impacted him to date.
The Unfortunate Incident
In 1978, the family of the late former Kamukunji MP George Nthenge, consisting of 12 members along with a relative, was travelling to Nairobi City in a Peugeot 504 station wagon.
Nthenge himself was driving the car. During the journey, everything was fine until they reached the Athi River Bridge along the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway, where he attempted to overtake a lorry after the driver had signaled that it was safe to pass.
While narrating in a past interview with The Standard, Nthenge recalled that as soon as he overtook the lorry, he saw another lorry approaching at full speed with its lights on full beam.
To avoid a head-on collision, the former MP swerved to the right, but it was too late as the lorry driver made the same move.
Unfortunately, the two vehicles collided and veered into a ditch beside the road. The impact on his car, which carried his family, was devastating and left it badly crushed, while the front of the lorry was torn apart.
The impact left his four sons and four daughters dead instantly, while his wife also died as rescue teams tried to pull her from the wreckage.
Another of his daughters, although rescued, died a few moments later from severe injuries.In a miraculous turn, another of his sons was found alive, though in pain with a broken arm. Nthenge lost consciousness but later regained it while being rushed to the hospital.
On the way to the hospital, George Nthenge shouted, demanding to know whether his other family members were okay, but his son broke his heart when he revealed the truth.
According to the former lawmaker, Anthony, his surviving son, whispered the devastating news that his nine siblings and their mother had all succumbed to their injuries.
Along with Nthenge and his son, his niece also survived, but she was confined to a wheelchair. Sadly, she died six years later from complications related to her injuries.
Not Attending his Wife and Children’s Burial
Although in critical condition in the hospital and unsure when he would be released, what saddened George Nthenge most was that his loved ones lay in the morgue.
When it was time to bury his wife and nine children, he was too weak to attend, leaving him in a dilemma about whether to go on in his absence.
Not wanting to burden his larger family with additional costs, he allowed the burial to take place. As painful as it was, he had to rely on other relatives to conduct the ceremony while he remained in the hospital.
“Painful as it was, I made the decision to allow the burial to take place in my absence,” the late MP told The Standard in a past interview.
