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Two people lost their lives on Thursday evening when a pickup truck they were travelling in plunged into River Nyamindi at Kaboro Bridge in Gichugu, Kirinyaga County.
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According to Gichugu Sub-County Police Commander, the accident occurred at around 7pm. The pickup was ferrying five individuals when it veered off the road and plunged into the river. Two passengers died and remain trapped in the submerged vehicle, while the remaining three managed to escape.
The vehicle was reportedly transporting logs to Kiamugumo Village in Ngariama Ward when the incident occurred. Authorities are yet to determine the exact cause of the accident.
“Our officers have been on site since last night, working with locals to retrieve the vehicle and recover the bodies,” the police commander stated.
Ngariama Ward MCA Daniel Muriithi Kibinga identified the deceased as Grace Kithii Njeru, a secretary at Kiamugumo Girls Secondary School, and her nephew Vincent Kiura, who was driving the pickup.
“It’s a painful loss, especially since Grace recently lost her husband, who was a banker,” said MCA Kibinga.
He also pointed out that the poor state of the road at Kaboro Bridge could have been a contributing factor. He noted that the rescue efforts were facing challenges due to the river’s high water levels and large rocks.
Local residents from Karucho and Mbiri, who stayed at the scene overnight, managed to recover the vehicle’s number plate. Led by Joseph Kamau, they urged the government to rehabilitate the road and install guardrails along the bridge.
“The Karucho–Mbiri road is in dire condition. We’re calling on authorities to murram it and put up guardrails to prevent such tragedies,” Kamau said.
