This archive report was first published on 19 October 2019.
On September 29, 2019, a devastating tragedy struck the family of Mariam Kighenda when she and her 4-year-old daughter Amanda Mutheu lost their lives in a car accident off the coast of Mombasa.
Their bodies were recovered 58 meters deep into the sea from the Likoni Ferry channel after 13 days.
On October 19, 2019, Mariam and Amanda were laid to rest at Mung'ala village in Kilome Constituency, Makueni county.
The motorcade carrying their remains left Mombasa at midnight and arrived at AIC Kima church ground at 9:30 am, where a burial service was held.
As the caskets containing their remains were being removed from the hearse, a brief silence was broken by a shrill scream from a woman who was wailing uncontrollably amidst mourners.
Mariam's parents penned a heart-wrenching tribute to their daughter, which brought tears to many mourners' eyes.
They remembered the good times they had with Mariam, pointing out that her absence has left a huge hole in their lives.
They wrote, 'We will have sleepless nights from your untimely death, but God is on our side.'
They also remembered Mariam's love for her parents and her straight-forward nature, saying, 'My daughter, you loved your parents and used to come for chats and help in domestic issues. You were straight forward only God knows why these events happened. Rest in eternal peace.'
Adding, 'It is with a humble acceptance that we understand that God allowed this to happen. They may be gone now but they will never be forgotten.'
