The wife of the Modern Coast bus driver whose vehicle plunged into River Nithi in Tharaka Nithi County has revealed details of the bus her husband was using while working with the transport company.
In an interview with the press, the wife Beatrice Wakuthie says the driver, who was commonly known as Simba, had complained numerous times about the bus.
The wife, who together with the driver had two children, said the husband had a rough time operating the vehicle and had numerous times said the vehicle's brakes could fail while on transit.
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"Alikua analia hiyo gari ni mbovu. Alikua anafika ananiambia mama Mercy hiyo gari ni mbovu. Akifika ata halali, anaenda garage na hiyo gari. Na anasema hiyo gari breki inafail, breki infail mpaka sasa kufa kwake," she said.
The seemingly emotional wife narrated that she spoke to her husband earlier in the day before he embarked on the journey to Mombasa.
She revealed that Simba had a talk with his daughter and promised to send her some money.
It's from then that they never talked again adding that attempts to call her were unsuccessful as he was out of service.
"Nilikua kwa mkutano shuleni aliongea na mtoto wake wakaagana na akasema atamtumia pesa kwa simu. Kutoka hiyo time hatukuongea na yeye mpaka leo. Kupiga simu yake ilikua mteja. Usiku nilipigiwa simu na watu nikaambiwa kuna gari imeanguka Meru na inasemekana ilikua na mzee wangu. Mimi nikasema sijui kwa sababu sikua nimesikia.
"Saa tatu news ilikuja sasa ndo nikaona hiyo gari. Ndo nikaona nikuje nidhibitishe kama hiyo basi ilikua na bwana yangu.Kufika hapa kwa gate ndo walitudhibitishia ni yeye alikua na hiyo gari na alituacha jana," she narrated.
The distraught wife further said the husband has been working under tough conditions with no pay for two years.
He said since Covid struck the country, Simba went back to work in February last year.
According to her, the Husband has since then been lamenting over the lack of pay.
"Corona vile iliingia walisimamishwa kazi. Walikaa muda mrefu sana bila kulipwa mshahara. Vile kazi ilirudi waliendelea kufanya kazi na hawalipwi mshahara. Na hata miezi tatu tunaongelea kutoka mwezi wa pili hadi leo hajalipwa mshahara. Anakuja kwa nyumba ata hana ata mia na amelala kazi, ameshinda huko na hana kitu. Sasa amekufa hivo na hana pesa," She narrated.
The accident left 34 dead while nine others are receiving treatment in Hospital.
