The mother to MP Mbai, Dorcas Kanini Mbai/HANDOUT
Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai is mourning the sudden death of his mother, Dorcas Kanini Mbai, who died in a tragic road accident in Machakos County on Sunday, July 21.
Kanini died on the spot when the vehicle she was traveling in lost control and plunged into the Yatta Canal along the Nairobi–Garissa Highway at Kithimani in Yatta sub-county.
She was en route from her home in Zombe, Kitui County, to Nairobi at the time of the accident.
“With a heavy heart, I share the heartbreaking news that I have lost my beloved mother, Dorcas Kanini Mbai, in a tragic road accident at Kithimani… God, who gives, has taken away. Rest in peace, Mama. You were loved,” the MP wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle had three occupants—two female passengers and a male driver—when the crash occurred.
The driver and the second female passenger sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a private hospital in Kithimani for treatment.
“The car was headed towards Kithimani from Matuu when it veered off the road and crashed into the canal. The deceased was still trapped in the wreckage when emergency services arrived,” said an eyewitness who spoke shortly after the incident.
The news of the tragic loss has drawn an outpouring of sympathy and condolence messages from across the political spectrum and the wider public.
“I’m deeply saddened to learn of the sudden death of Dorcas Mbithuka, mother to Hon. Nimrod Mbai… I convey my utmost condolences to her family and the entire people of Kitui East,” said Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka.
Machakos Town MP Caleb Mule also expressed his sympathy, stating, “I extend my heartfelt condolences to my good friend and colleague Hon. Nimrod Mbai… May God comfort you and your family during this mourning period, and may He grant you peace and strength. May her soul rest in peace.”
Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the cause of the crash, but investigations are ongoing.
The accident adds to a growing list of road fatalities in the region, underscoring concerns about safety along the busy Nairobi–Garissa highway.