Busia County was roused with the saddening news of the arrival of four bodies of Kenyan pilgrims who died after a public service taxi rammed into them on their way to Namugongo Shrine in Uganda.
Through the intervention of Iganga Municipality Member of Parliament Mr Peter Mugema, popularly known as Panadol, the four bodies were repatriated to their individual members of the family.
The accident happened Sunday morning when the taxi accused of overspeeding ploughed into the group of over 100 pilgrims who had trekked from Bungoma Catholic diocese.
Annually, the group of pilgrims trek along the 200 Kilometre stretch between the two countries to pay homage to the 22 Ugandan Catholic martyrs who were killed in the 1800s following the orders of Kabaka.
The four bodies had been preserved at the Iganga Hospital Mortuary from the time of the accident until area MP decided to offer an ambulance which ferried them to the Kenyan side.
The legislator hailed the victims of the terrible accident, saying they had died for a noble cause.
“RIP u died for a justified cause we will keep praying for u when we reach Namugongo where u did not manage to reach,” said the Youthful MP on a Facebook post.
The bodies of our sisters and brothers who perished in a road accident in wandago after a tax rammed into them as they…
Posted by Mugema Peter Panadol-iganga's Heart on Sunday, 26 May 2019
The pilgrim’s leader, Mr Peter Sosso, said the main aim of trekking over the 200 Kilometre stretch from Kenya to Uganda is to celebrate the lives of the martyrs and also stand in solidarity with the Ugandan Catholics
This is not the first time Kenyan pilgrims are being knocked on their way to Namugongo. In 1998, a Kenyan pilgrim identified as John Kibe was knocked dead by a speeding taxi at Lwankima along the Jinja-Kampala highway on his way to Namugongo.
Hitherto, Kenyan pilgrims hold special prayers in memory of Kibe annually as they walk to Namugongo shrines.
The identities of the four deceased pilgrims were revealed to be Roselyn Wanjala, 51, Geoffrey Obwanga, 48, Kevinah Akila and Roselyn Mutunga.
However, those who were injured during the crash are Sarah Ajambo, Kisoko Kojja, Joseph Lusinyo, Akira Kevin, John Okoth, Eugine Masinde and Gladys Malinabi, all from Bungoma diocese.