A 41-year-old man from Mikindani, Cornelius Korir, had planned to travel with a group of 17 Catholic faithful from St Mathias Mulumba Catholic Church to attend the National Prayer Day at the Subukia Shrine. However, upon arrival, he was told that all seats had been taken. The Catholic Missionaries Association's Mikindani branch then provided him with funds to purchase a public transport ticket.
Korir successfully secured a seat on a separate bus and arrived at the Dreamline offices. Later, he received word that a single seat had opened up on the group's vehicle, but having already bought his ticket, the spot was offered to someone else instead. Korir travelled independently and arrived in Subukia without incident. It was only after reaching his destination that he received a phone call from his community chairperson informing him of the fatal accident involving the vehicle carrying his fellow worshippers.
The accident claimed the lives of all 17 Catholic faithful who had been travelling in the vehicle, a group Korir had expected to be part of until circumstances pulled him away at the last moment. Korir, a father of three, said the news left him deeply shaken. He had just arrived in Subukia when he was told his colleagues had died in an accident.
In other news, former President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a sharp warning to Mount Kenya residents over their 2022 presidential vote, telling them not to repeat what he described as a costly mistake in the 2027 general election. He delivered the remarks on Saturday at Mugumo Primary School in Kirinyaga County, during the funeral service of Jackson Karua, father of People's Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua.
Uhuru dismissed claims that he poses any political threat to President William Ruto, saying he has no intention of seeking any public office. He said some government officials had been invoking his name to distract from their own leadership failures. Uhuru urged Ruto to redirect his attention toward solving the problems ordinary Kenyans face, rather than engaging in political attacks against a retired leader.
Uhuru also challenged Ruto to wait for the ballot rather than seeking to settle political scores before the election. He recalled that he had counselled the region's residents ahead of the 2022 election to back Raila Odinga and Martha Karua, arguing the two could have delivered meaningful change. Several opposition figures joined Uhuru at the funeral, using the occasion to call for a consolidated front against Ruto ahead of the next general election.
The event was attended by several prominent leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka, Fred Matiangi, Edwin Sifuna, Justin Muturi, Ndindi Nyoro, Eugene Wamalwa, and Martha Karua. Kirinyaga woman representative Njeri Maina urged opposition leaders to set aside individual ambitions and agree on a single presidential candidate, a call that was endorsed by Uhuru.
Key points
- A Catholic man narrowly escaped a fatal bus crash that killed 17 fellow parishioners in Kenya.
- Former President Uhuru Kenyatta warned Mount Kenya residents not to repeat their 2022 presidential vote in the 2027 general election.
- Uhuru dismissed claims of posing a political threat to President William Ruto.
