Emotions run high in Gatundu South after family perishes in road accident
By Mathew Ndungu, January 7, 2026Grief has engulfed a family in Ndundu village, Gatundu South, after a tragic road accident claimed the lives of a catechist, his wife, and their two young children along the Naivasha–Nakuru highway.
James Njoroge Kabari, a catechist at St Mary Catholic Church in Ridgeways, died alongside his wife Teresiah Wanjiru and their sons Michael Kabari, aged six, and one-year-old John Mark Kabui in the accident that occurred on Monday, January 5, 2026, at the Karai area while they were travelling towards Gilgil.
“Njoroge was taking his wife back to Gilgil, where she works as a primary school teacher, when the accident happened,” Jane Wairimu, the distraught Njoroge’s daughter, said, describing the incident as a journey that turned into a nightmare.
Their daughter, Clare Wairimu, who was also in the vehicle, narrowly survived the crash and is currently receiving treatment at Nairobi West Hospital’s Naivasha branch.
“We thank God that she is alive, but she is in pain and still under close medical care,” added Wairimu.
She survived alongside the family’s house manager and a friend who were also travelling with them.
At the family’s rural home in Ndundu village, a sombre mood prevails as relatives, neighbours and friends struggle to come to terms with the devastating loss.
“This is something we never imagined would happen to our family. We are still in shock,” frail Joel Kabari, who is Njoroge’s father, told Mathew Ndung’u.
The deaths have left a deep void, particularly for Njoroge’s elderly parents, who depended heavily on him for their daily needs.
“He was the main breadwinner. He took care of his parents’ medical bills and ensured they lacked nothing,” noted the father.
The tragedy has been especially painful for Kabari, who is ailing and relied on his son for hospital support and basic necessities.
“Njoroge had plans to renovate his parents’ house this January as he expanded his own home, but all those plans ended abruptly,” stated Kabari
As burial preparations begin, the family said the loss has left them emotionally and financially strained and called on well-wishers to help them during the difficult moments.