This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
On August 17, 2019, a dowry negotiation ceremony in Ruirii village, Nyeri County, took a devastating turn after four people died of suspected food poisoning.
Among the deceased was the mother of the would-be groom, while ten others were admitted to different hospitals with diarrhoea and vomiting, according to Nyeri County Director of Health Services Nelson Muriu.
Seven of the hospitalized individuals were treated at Karemenu Health Centre, while three others were admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital and Mama Lucy Hospital in Nairobi.
Nyeri County head of public health Peter Wamai stated that samples from the victims were taken for further analysis at the Nyeri Referral Hospital.
“We cannot conclude on the actual cause of the deaths. What we know so far is that the victims ate contaminated food,” said Wamai.
Area MCA, Joseph Maina, who was among those served the contaminated food, confirmed that he had been treated at a local hospital and was among the victims of food poisoning.
