BISHOP PETER KIMANI CALLS FOR RESPONSIBILITY ON ROADS FOLLOWING TRAGIC KARAI ACCIDENT
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Embu, His Lordship Peter Kimani, has issued a strong and emotional appeal to motorists, traffic authorities, and policymakers to act decisively in curbing the rising cases of road carnage in the country.
His Lordship made the call during the burial of Catechist James Njoroge Kabari, his wife Teresia, and their two children, who perished in a fatal road accident in Karai, Naivasha, just five days into the year 2026.
Addressing the mourners, Bishop Kimani urged all road users and authorities to take collective responsibility for road safety.
“As a Church, we call upon traffic officers and policymakers responsible for traffic rules and regulations to be critical and serious in restoring dignity and safety on our roads. Every one of us has a responsibility to protect life,” he said.
He warned against reckless driving, noting that roads had become places of fear rather than safe passage.
“The vehicles we drive carry human life. We cannot continue being reckless and living in fear of whether we shall reach our destinations safely. Our roads should not become places of death,” he added.
He further called for continuous training and retraining of drivers, particularly those operating long-distance and public service vehicles, while commending motorists who consistently observe traffic laws.
As the family was laid to rest in an emotionally charged ceremony, Fr. Calistos Nyagilo, Father in Charge of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Ridgeways where Catechist Kabari served, paid tribute to the late catechist, describing him as a devoted servant of the Church whose loss would be deeply felt.
“As a Church, we have lost a true partner in the mission of Christ. Catechists are not merely workers; they are companions in faith, our ears on the ground, helping guide Christians to grow spiritually and morally,” Fr. Nyagilo said.
He described the death of the children as a devastating blow to the future, adding that the Church, as a family, was mourning deeply but would continue to draw strength from faith.
Ridgeways Parish, under the leadership of Fr. Nyagilo, pledged full support to the sole survivor of the accident, seven-year-old Claire Wairimu, daughter to Catechist Kabari who was survived the accident but was left orphaned in this the tragedy.
The Karai accident occurred on Monday, January 5, 2026, along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway, when a Greenline bus collided head-on with a 14-seater matatu, killing nine people on the spot. The late James Njoroge Kabari served as a catechist at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Ridgeways, while his wife Teresia was a teacher based in Gilgil.
