At least one person died and several others injured in a stampede during the issuance of bursary forms at Githurai 45 in Kiambu county on Monday, April 3, 2023.
Eyewitness said the residents were fighting to be served by Ruiru Member of Parliament Simon King’ara, who was personally issuing the forms when the incident occurred.
“The crowd was big when people started pushing each other when the deceased who was number 783 fell. Unfortunately, after falling he was run over and died while three other women were also injured and rushed to a nearby hospital,” a witness explained.
The deceased identified as James Atanga was rushed to a nearby hospital before he was transferred to Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
He was 45 years old and a father of two.
According to his wife Pamela Munyangi, James had left home to collect a bursary form for their child who is in Form Four.
“It was around 6.00 am. He received a call from a friend who asked him to go and collect a bursary form, when he got there, there were so many people who were disorderly, pushing each other and fighting for a space in the queue. My husband fell and succumbed from the stampede,” she told local media.
The exercise was halted after the incident.
According to the MP, the exercise was to take place in three wards.
"Bursary form issuance has commenced at Githurai Kwa DO CDF hall, where we are giving Mwiki, Kiuu and later Mwihoko ward," The MP wrote on Facebook.
