On 26th Feb 2019 , it was reported that two diplomats had been involved in an accident along Mombasa road a few kilometers outside Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.The cars they were travelling in had collided head-on along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.
It later emerged that it was Zambia’s High Commissioner Brenda Mudenda and Botswanan High Commissioner to Kenya Gobapang Duke Lephoko all in their 40’s.
When the accident occured,the late Zambia High Commissioner Brenda Mudenda, 40, years complained of chest and abdominal pains while Gobapang Duke Lephoko, 48, the Botswanan High Commissioner to Kenya suffered slight injuries on the left leg above the knee. All were rushed to Machakos Level 5 Hospital.
According to an OB entry at Chumvi police Station at the Machakos-Nairobi road junction, the accident occurred at about 1700 hrs along Mombasa- Nairobi highway at the Lukenya bridge involving diplomatic vehicles registration numbers 110CD1K (Toyota Prado) belonging to Botswana High commission and 54CD8K also a Toyota Prado belonging to Zambia High Commission.
The third vehicle was a lorry (KAW 313C) a Mercedes Actros, the fourth a Toyota Isis (KCM 746), and the fifth in the pile-up another Mercedes Actros truck (KCD 933V).
According to the police report, a police escort vehicle (Nissan Patrol GKB 839R) driven by Constable Lawrence Kalume was leading the convoy with a blaring siren.
At the Lukenya Bridge, the report says, a Mercedes Actros driven by Joseph Giraranga from Nairobi failed to give way to the convoy colliding head-on with the Zambian Prado.
In the process adds the OB, the Botswanan Prado which was following from behind lost control and collided head-on with the same lorry.
In the confusion, the Toyota ISIS Rammed at the rear of the lorry.
The report names the injured as Joseph Guttu aged 47 who sustained fractured right leg and bruises on the left hand and Wasa Kaluwe aged 30 years of the Zambian High Commission who sustained a fractured right leg.
The diplomatic vehicles extensively damaged and towed to the station to await inspection.
Both truck drivers and the Isis one escaped unhurt.
According to Zambian newspaper Lusaka Times, the 49-year-old diplomat died at Nairobi Hospital in ICU on Tuesday, March 19, 2019.
Zambians have taken to social media to mourn their ambassador Muntemba, whom they describe as a dedicated servant.
“A very sad morning to wake up to news that one of the most active Canisius Alumni members Sulanji Sichilembe of 1994 Exit, has lost his wife, Brenda Muntemba.
She was involved in a road accident in February and has been in ICU since then. Andrew is very active in reaching out to help whenever something happens to any one of us. In the picture, it’s Andrew, Miriam the daughter and Brenda. MHSRIP,” posted Canisius Secondary School Alumn