Pastor whose car was attacked by Mathare youth after result announcement speaks
Last Monday evening, Andrew Nyambane’s wife Eunice was stranded in downtown Nairobi after public service vehicles deserted the city centre during the declaration of presidential election results.
When he and his son left their home in Mowlem, Nairobi, to pick her up, he thought they would all be back home soon.
But this was not to be as, less than an hour later, the family’s car was involved in a road accident at Number 10 area on Juja Road in Mathare.
Ms Nyambane’s body is lying at Umash Funeral Home, while Mr Nyambane and his son, Timothy Onyancha, are recuperating at Aga Khan University Hospital’s high dependency and surgical wards respectively.
Had it not been for the quick response of police officers, who rushed the father and son to Mama Lucy Hospital, Mr Onyancha believes they would have all been killed.
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Trouble started shortly after the two picked up Ms Nyambane at St Theresa School, near Eastleigh on Juja Road. She had found a vehicle that took her to the school but could not go any further due to the riots.
The family started their journey back to Mowlem on Juja Road. On their way to pick up Ms Nyambane, they had passed several police officers on guard and they were sure they would pass through safely.
A few metres before reaching Moi Air Force base in the Number 10 area, rowdy youths who had blocked the road with huge stones started throwing rocks at the family’s Toyota Allion.
Sensing danger, Mr Nyambane floored the pedal to evade the charging mob and almost made it through. But, suddenly, a young man dashed to the road to stop him. He had to swerve at high speed to avoid him.
He lost control of the vehicle and it hit an electricity pole. His wife died on the spot and he was left delirious and immobile. The couple’s son was seriously hurt but coherent.
The angry youth continued charging at the car and just before they reached it, the police arrived and dispersed the crowd and saved their lives.
An ambulance rushed them to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, from where they were later rushed to Aga Khan Hospital by their neighbours.
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Their mangled car was towed to the Pangani Police Station, where relatives recorded a statement. The car is still at the station.
Pangani Sub-county Police Commander Fred Abuga said Mr Nyambane must have panicked at the sight of the unruly youth, hit a stone and lost control of the car before it hit the pole.
“We are waiting for the survivors of the accident to get better so that we [can] get more details on what exactly transpired,” he said.
The incident happened a few hundred metres from where another car was attacked and its occupants forced out and beaten up by angry youths, as seen in a video that went viral Monday evening.
Mathare earlier in the day shortly after the results were announced; gangs taking advantage to terrorize motorists. pic.twitter.com/pkFJjMw9hb
— BABU AL-AMIN (@alaminkimathi) August 15, 2022
Mr Moses Obaigwa, a family friend and an elder at the Dandora Terminus SDA church, told the Nation that Mr Nyambane had been his pastor for several years before he was transferred to Namanga and recently to the Rongai SDA district as the head of the church.
“It is very sad that a peaceful family was attacked by people who never knew them, leading to the death of the shepherdess [pastor’s wife],” he said.
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