Salama accident: He paid her dowry in August, now he’s planning fiancée’s funeral

Leonea Barza, 34, at the St Mathias Lumumba Catholic Church, Mikindani Parish in Mikindani on Monday / BRIAN OTIENO

For 34-year-old Leonea Baraza, the journey to Sultan Hamud was meant to be about identifying the body of the woman he planned to marry in February 2027.

Instead, the Busia-born man travelled to the Makueni County hospital mortuary to confirm the death of 30-year-old Veronica Ngandi, barely two months after celebrating their dowry-paying ceremony in Kitui.

The late Veronica Ngandi / BRIAN OTIENONgandi was among the 17 people who died in Saturday’s deadly crash at Salama along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.Nine of the bodies were transported to Jocham Hospital in Mombasa on Monday, where they are being preserved. The other eight were taken to different parts of the country according to the wishes of their families.

Leonea Barza, 34 [L], at the St Mathias Lumumba Catholic Church, Mikindani Parish in Mikindani on Monday / BRIAN OTIENOBaraza, who works for Dikus Transporters in Mombasa, said he remained in denial about Ngandi’s death until he travelled to Sultan Hamud and saw her body.“I loved her so much, and she loved me too. It was just the other day I was in Ukambani to pay her dowry price. We were in the middle of plans for a wedding early next year,” he said.

Baraza had attended the dowry-paying ceremony with his parents and brothers from Busia County.

He said he remained in constant communication with Ngandi after she left Mombasa on Friday for Subukia in Nakuru County to attend the annual National Prayer Day at the Subukia National Marian Shrine.

“In Maungu, we talked. When they reached Mtito (Andei), she called me and informed me they were having a meal. When they resumed the journey, she also told me, “Baraza,” she said.

Ngandi later asked him to continue with his chores and promised to call before going to sleep.

At about 11.30pm, Baraza called her three times but received no answer.

“At around 11.30pm, I called her three times, but she never picked up. I thought I may have fallen asleep because of the tiresome nature of the journey. I decided to sleep, telling myself I will call her in the morning,” he said.

He called again at 5am the following morning, but there was still no response.

As he prepared to leave for work, a friend called and asked whether he had travelled to Subukia for the pilgrimage. Baraza said he had not.

The friend then told him that a vehicle from Mikindani heading to Subukia had been involved in an accident at Salama.

“He told me he had received news that a vehicle from Mikindani that was heading to Subukia has been involved in an accident at Salama.

“Then something clicked in my brain. I connected the dots. But I did not want to think of the worst. I called her number once more at around 6am, but she did not pick,” Baraza said.

Another friend later called asking whether he had heard about an accident involving a vehicle from Mikindani.

Baraza then contacted the church to establish what had happened.

A church official confirmed that there had been an accident and that there were no survivors.

“That is when the shock hit me. I rushed to the church to confirm if my wife was indeed in the ill-fated van. I saw her name. I suddenly felt my knees weaken and give way,” he said.

Baraza said identifying Ngandi’s body was the hardest part of the ordeal.

“I was still in denial that she had gone until I saw her body,” he said.

Ngandi had also asked Baraza what she should pray for during her visit to Subukia.

“I told her to pray for our marriage, that God makes it successful, to pray for our jobs and let Him continue holding us in His word,” he said.

Baraza, who has been left with an eight-year-old son, said the death had dealt him a devastating blow.

“She has left me at a very early age. I pray that God rests her soul in eternal peace,” he said.

Meanwhile, nine bodies were taken to Jocham Hospital mortuary in Mombasa.

They were identified as Jane Miito, Florence Atieno, Linah Akinyi, Martha Nzyoki, Ann Mwanthi, Sarapia Mwarimbo, Catherine Joseph, Beatrice Oluoch and Veronicah Ngandi.

The remaining eight victims were transported to different parts of the country.

Samuel Muigai’s body was taken to Gatundu North Constituency, while Josephat Mekonge and Hilkah Ratemo Orina’s bodies were taken to Kisii.

Scholastica Ochieng’s body was transported to Nairobi before being taken to Siaya County for burial.

The body of the ill-fated van’s driver, Samuel Mwanyasi, was taken to Voi, alongside that of Jane Mwakamba.

Regina Mwai’s body was transported to Karatina, while Veronicah Musyimi’s was taken to Mwala in Machakos County.

Martin Obwaka, who led the team that went to identify the bodies in Sultan Hamud, at the St Mathias Lumumba Catholic Church, Mikindani Parish in Mikindani on Monday / BRIAN OTIENOMartin Obwaka, who led the team that went to identify the bodies in Sultan Hamud, at the St Mathias Lumumba Catholic Church, Mikindani Parish in Mikindani on Monday / BRIAN OTIENOMartin Obwaka, who led the team that travelled to Sultan Hamud to collect the bodies, said some families opted to take their loved ones directly to their rural homes after consultations.The team left Mombasa for Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital, where the bodies had initially been preserved. They arrived around midnight on Saturday before beginning the identification process on Sunday morning.

“After the identification we went for the post-mortem process, which went on well. We had good doctors and coordination from the Makueni county government in conjunction with the Mombasa county government,” Obwaka said on Monday evening.

He said post-mortem results for all 17 victims were issued to their respective families.

“We left Sultan Hamud at around 8pm on Sunday and arrived in Mombasa at around 3am on Monday, heading straight to Jocham Hospital mortuary, where the bodies were received and booked for preservation,” Obwaka said.

Obwaka added that some personal belongings belonging to the victims had not yet been collected because of time.

“Whatever was there at the mortuary was what was given. They scheduled a date after the burials of the deceased that the families can go back to collect the personal items of the departed parishioners,” he said.