This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
On Sunday morning, a disturbing scene unfolded near Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Juja, Nairobi. A taxi driver, James Maina, was found dead in his car, sparking fears of Covid-19 among locals.
However, as it turned out, Maina had died from unknown causes, not Covid-19. The incident has left many questions unanswered, including the cause of his death.
According to eyewitnesses, Maina's car was seen speeding with lights on before being found parked near the university. The car had also been hooting repeatedly, and the security guards at the nearby hospital may have ignored Maina, thinking he was drunk.
Mr. Charles Chege, whose brother's car Maina used to operate as a taxi, described the scene as 'terrible'. He said that picking a corpse in a body bag without ascertaining the cause of death 'is not good, and only adds pain and sadness to the bereaved.'
Mr. Chege also revealed that Maina was known to him for a long time and was not ill before his death. He suggested that Maina may have been trying to seek urgent treatment when he sped towards the hospital on the day of his death.
Maina's wife, Esther Wangari, also expressed her shock and sadness at her husband's death. She said that he had not been sick and that there were many questions that demanded answers.
