A quiet Thursday evening turned tragic after a pickup truck ferrying logs to Kiamugumo Village plunged into River Nyamindi at Kaboro Bridge in Gichugu, killing two people.
According to Gichugu Sub-County Police Commander, the 7 p.m. accident involved five occupants, three of whom managed to escape with minor injuries.
The bodies of the remaining two now confirmed to be trapped in the submerged vehicle are yet to be retrieved.
“We suspect the driver may have lost control due to the poor state of the road.
Rescue operations are ongoing and we’re working closely with residents to pull out the vehicle and recover the bodies,” said the police commander.
Who urged caution when navigating the treacherous bridge.
The deceased have been identified as Grace Kithii Njeru, a secretary at Kiamugumo Girls Secondary School and her nephew, Vincent Kiura, who was behind the wheel.
The two were reportedly transporting timber when the accident occurred.
Ngariama Ward MCA Daniel Muriithi Kibinga, who visited the scene, confirmed the identities of the victims and expressed sorrow over the incident.
Family in utter shock
“It’s painful. Grace was still mourning her husband, who died just a few months ago.
Now the family is hit with another blow,” said Kibinga, visibly shaken.
“The condition of this road is a disaster waiting to happen. It urgently needs fixing.”
Kibinga added that rescue efforts were being slowed by strong currents and massive boulders that have complicated recovery work.
Residents from Karucho and Mbiri spent the night at the riverbank, helping authorities and retrieving the vehicle’s number plate from downstream.
Led by community elder Joseph Kamau, the locals decried the state of the Kaboro stretch.
“This road is a death trap. We’re tired of losing lives.
The government must act—murram it, install guardrails and ensure our safety,” Kamau demanded.
As the community mourns, questions linger over how many more lives must be lost before long-promised infrastructure improvements become a reality.
