A man from Kenya is grieving the loss of his fiancée, Veronica Ngandi, who died in a road accident in Salama, Makueni County, on Friday night. The couple had held a dowry ceremony in Kitui County in August and were planning their wedding, scheduled for February. Leonea Baraza, the fiancé, recounted their final conversation, which took place before Ngandi embarked on a pilgrimage to the Subukia Shrine for the National Prayer Day.
According to Baraza, he and Ngandi had been engaged since 2024 and had received their families' blessing to proceed with wedding preparations. They had planned to begin making final arrangements for their wedding after the National Prayer Day celebrations. Baraza accompanied Ngandi to St Mathias Mulumba Catholic Church on Friday, where he saw her off as she embarked on the pilgrimage. The couple remained in communication during the journey, with Ngandi calling him after the group reached Manyatta along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.
Baraza tried calling Ngandi before going to bed on Friday night, but his calls went unanswered. He tried again on Saturday morning, but there was still no response. About an hour later, news of the accident emerged, and Baraza travelled to Sultan Hamud to confirm the devastating reality of his fiancée's death. He expressed his shock and grief, saying he had not expected to lose Ngandi.
The accident claimed the lives of 17 people, and nine of the bodies have since arrived in Mombasa for burial preparations. Catholic Church spokesperson Armogast Mdawida stated that church officials would meet with the affected families before announcing the burial programme. The church is providing support to the families of the victims.
Leaders and security agencies have urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads following the tragedy. The incident has raised concerns about road safety, and authorities are working to prevent similar accidents in the future. The government has promised to take measures to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents on Kenyan roads.
Baraza's plans for a wedding have now turned into funeral arrangements. He and Ngandi had been looking forward to their wedding, but their plans were abruptly shattered by the fatal crash. The families of the victims are coming together to support each other during this difficult time.
The Kenyan government has announced plans to promote 50,000 teachers in the 2026/27 financial year, and President Ruto has promised to honour teachers' pleas to shorten the CBA cycle to two years. However, these developments are unrelated to the Salama crash, and the focus remains on supporting the families of the victims and improving road safety.
Key points
- Nine of the 17 bodies from the crash have arrived in Mombasa for burial preparations.
