17 Catholic pilgrims from Mombasa killed in highway crash en route to prayer shrine

In the early hours of Saturday morning, a Toyota Hiace van carrying 17 Catholic pilgrims from Mombasa collided with another vehicle near Mlima Kiu, a stretch of the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway close to Salama. All 17 occupants of the hired van died in the crash. They had been traveling to Subukia in Nakuru county to attend the National Prayer Day, an annual pilgrimage organized through the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops that draws Catholics from across the country to the National Shrine for prayers held on the first Saturday of October.

The victims came from St Mathias Mulumba Catholic Parish in Mikindani, Mombasa county. The Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa released their names: Janet Miitto, Florence Atieno, Jane Mwakamba, Josephat Mekonge, Hilkah Orina, Linah Akinyi, Veronicah Musyimi, Martha Nzyoki, Ann Mwanthi, Sarapia Mwarimbo, Scholastica Ochieng, Catherine Joseph, Beatrice Oluoch, Veronica Ngandi, Regina Mwai, Samuel Muigai, and Samuel Mwanyasi. On Sunday, three hours into a mass at the parish, Archbishop Dominic Kimengich led a solemn gathering of grieving families, parishioners, political leaders, and members of the wider Catholic community as the church confronted the scale of what had been lost.

For those gathered, the loss extended far beyond a count of names. These were mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, friends and familiar faces woven into the daily fabric of parish life. Parish priest Fr Patrick Maingi had spoken with several of them before they departed. Sarapia Mwarimbo, a woman from Taita who had never traveled beyond Voi, had been eager to see Nakuru for the first time in her life. Veronica Ngandi had been preparing for marriage; she had introduced her fiancé to her family, part of the bride price had been paid, and she had told Fr Maingi she would return to introduce her partner formally before the wedding. Scholastica Ochieng was known for her discipline in giving tithe—every month, faithfully, she contributed 9,500 shillings. Before departing, she and other pilgrims had insisted on fulfilling their religious obligations, giving their tithes and asking Fr Maingi to pray for them on Sunday. Florence Atieno had prepared a headscarf for women scheduled to serve in church that Sunday. Instead, the parish gathered to mourn her.

The parish had faced financial constraints that year. Unable to secure a bus, it could only support 27 members to make the journey. The van was a private vehicle for hire contracted specifically for this pilgrimage. Two other passengers traveling in a separate Toyota Noah involved in the accident were hospitalized but later discharged. All 17 occupants of the Hiace died. Fr Maingi confirmed the identities of all victims by Saturday using a passenger manifest, allowing the postmortem process to proceed at Sultan Hamud Hospital mortuary, where families had begun to arrive.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir pledged that the county government would cover expenses related to the tragedy. He said he had learned of the accident from his deputy and immediately contacted the Makueni governor to coordinate the response. Jomvu MP Badi Twalib reported that President William Ruto had personally called him and pledged support for all affected families, with details to be communicated through the church. The county would handle postmortem and hospital expenses. Discussions were underway about whether all bodies would be transported back to Mombasa or whether individual families would collect their loved ones from Sultan Hamud.

The accident had rippled through Mombasa's leadership. Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki sent condolences, noting that one victim had worked with his wife at the Postal Corporation of Kenya and was approaching retirement. County executive Ibrahim Khamis had lost a sister-in-law, Ann Mwanthi, in the crash. Woman Representative Zamzam Mohammed said she personally knew Sarapia Mwarimbo, whose daughter is enrolled in her Second Chance programme, which currently supports 32 girls from the Catholic church. She pledged to work closely with the parish in the aftermath.

The National Transport and Safety Authority dispatched a team to investigate the circumstances of the crash and assess the condition of both vehicles. The agency noted that the section of highway where the accident occurred had previously been identified as a black spot, and road safety recommendations had been made concerning the area. Investigations into what caused the collision remained ongoing. For the Mikindani Parish community, the journey that had begun with prayers on their lips would end with a final journey home.