He is being remembered for playing Nils Krogstad in ‘A Doll’s House’, and the narrator in ‘Blossoms of the Savannah’, among other roles.
His main activity, until his death on a Sunday night, was breathing life into stories in various school-set books.
Now, actor Ian Njoroge is having the final stage planned for him – his eternal resting place.
Ian was among 10 thespians who were in a 16-seater van that collided head-on with a pick-up on Mombasa Road on Sunday night. He was the only one in the group who died, as his nine colleagues sustained injuries.
Liberty Theatre Production actor Ian Njoroge who died on October 4, 2026 in a crash on Mombasa Road.
The thespians involved in the crash were from the Liberty Theatre Production and were travelling from Diani to Nairobi.
Liberty Theatre Production is part of the Kenya Cultural Centre Association of Artistes (KCCAA). KCCAA Secretary-General Richard Muhoro told Nation that the group had had a set book performance at the Coast.
“The accident happened between Mtito Andei and Makindu,” said Mr Muhoro. “The driver had a head-on collision with a pick-up that was ferrying miraa (khat) from Nairobi heading to Mombasa. The accident happened at around 2am and we lost Ian on the spot.”
According to an October 4 statement by KCCAA, the other nine sustained various injuries.
Regarding the female crew, Teressa Mbithe sustained facial injuries and fractures to the left hand; Mitchell Nicholas had minor injuries; Stacy Nasson had a head injury and injuries to the hand and leg; Esther Mutheu had a neck fracture while Barbra Akinyi suffered a hip fracture and injuries to both hands.
As for the men, Clinton Obara had a serious tongue injury and also back and shoulder injuries; Michael Masinde had a left leg fracture and a hip joint injury; Nesta Makoha had injuries to the right shoulder and leg and also lip injuries, while one Rodgers had fractures to both legs and a hip injury.
By Tuesday evening, Mr Muhoro said, most of the injured had been discharged, except Barbra (who is admitted at the Kenyatta National Hospital), Michael (who is at Jumiuya Hospital in Huruma, Nairobi), and Rodgers who is at the Makindu sub-county hospital).
Mr Muhoro said Liberty Theatre Production has been in the business for about 15 years.
“They usually perform set books both in high schools and also the class readers in junior secondary schools. Their producer is called Calvin Magawe. They have been in the industry for over 15 years now. Magawe is very experienced in terms of theatre and production,” he said. “Through Liberty, we’ve had very good actors in Kenya, some of them performing even on TV.”
He added that the actors involved in the crash were young artistes just getting started in their careers.
“These are very young people. In fact, all of them are around 25 and below,” said Mr Muhoro.
On the Setbook Theatre Industry’s Facebook platform, tributes kept coming for Ian, with one post describing him as a “herbal (natural)” actor while another described him as a “legend”.
“The guy was a very nice actor and a very talented one,” said Mr Muhoro.
Nairobi Theatre Players posted on Wednesday: “We would like to pass our sincere condolences to Ian Njoroge’s family and the Liberty Arts production. We stand with you during this difficult time. To all those in hospitals, we wish you a quick recovery. To the producer Calvin Magawe, pole sana, and we stand with you.”
Added Mr Muhoro: “We are rallying all the producers to stand with them [the injured actors] and to know that they are very much important to this industry because without them as artistes, the industry cannot exist. We really are praying for them to get well soon. We are also condoling with Ian’s family.”
The Nation reached out to Ian’s family and to Mr Magawe, the Liberty producer, but both parties were not immediately available for a comment.
Mr Muhoro said Mr Magawe was busy coordinating the treatment for the injured thespians and planning Ian’s burial.
“He had sent the team together with the team manager. It was a total of 10 cast members. He was in Nairobi, and he had to travel to Makindu to take care of them and then bring some of them to Nairobi. And currently, as we speak [on Tuesday evening], he’s in Murang’a at Ian’s place.”
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