Robert Mutanda waited at the Jomo Kenyatta International airport expectantly for his brother in-law and friend Derrick Lwughi, who was travelling from Canada to arrive.
Mutanda was hoping for a grand reunion with Lugwi, who had been in the North American country for several years. His expected return brought excitement to the whole village in Vihiga county.
Mutanda was among relatives and friends, who had arrived at JKIA to receive their kin, aboard the ill-fated Boeing 737-700MAX.
“We arrived at the airport at around 10.00am and the plane was to touch down at around 10.15am,” he said.
But there were no signs of it even at noon. People became anxious but waited anyway. “As we waited, word came that an Ethiopian Airlines plane had crashed moments after take off,” he said.
Like any other relative, he was shocked but hoped that Derrick would survive because at the time, they had not received any official communication over what had transpired. Derrick’s wife and three children live in Canada.