Thousands of people across the country on Friday celebrated the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by attending church services, travelling or staying indoors with their families.
At the Holy Family Basilica and other churches around the CBD in Nairobi, Catholic faithful thronged the church and later the streets as they participated in the ‘Way of the Cross’, a re-enactment of the last journey of Jesus Christ.
The Basilica’s procession was led by John Cardinal Njue. Heavy police presence ensured security as well as smooth traffic flow during the procession.
A few people however, overwhelmed by the long trek under the hot sun, fainted along the way. Luckily, medical emergency units were present to attend to them.
Mr Paul Kuria sat on the pavement outside the church quietly listening to the proceedings of the re-enactment.
WELCOME
He was out of breath after the long walk, but was waiting for the final sermon in church. The journey for the Christians started minutes before 10am and culminated in a mass at the church at 3pm.
Four street children joined the procession, with a small girl carrying a baby. The sight of the actor dressed like Jesus, whose white robes were soaked in ‘blood’, intrigued them.
They stayed on until ‘Jesus’ was hidden away inside the ‘tomb’ within the church’s compound.
It was also celebrations galore across the country with major towns such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri and Eldoret getting more visitors.
In Nairobi, travellers crowded bus stations as they waited for vehicles to ferry them out of town.
DEATHS
Families sat along the roads wearily looking for transport. Women mostly carried large bags and suitcases for the trip.
Country Bus Station and Nyamakima in Nairobi were packed with human traffic. Passengers at the latter scrambled for the few available vehicles.
In Kisii County, the celebrations were cut shot after two men died in a borehole tragedy. According to Mr Evans Mbaka, the 11am tragedy occurred when a man who had been called in to extend a 40-foot borehole in search of water suffocated for lack of oxygen.
It happened at Mosiabano village in Bonchari Sub-County. “My brother, Hadson Nyambiti, went in to help the man out but he slipped on his way out and fell, hitting his head hard at the bottom of the borehole,” said Mr Mbaka.
He said the Kisii Disaster Management team was called in to help, but it was too late for the two men had already lost their lives.
“My elder brother, Eliud Manyange, who is the owner of this homestead, is still in great shock and has not talked to anyone since the incident occurred,” said Mr Mbaka.
The deceased, 32, left behind a wife and a two-month-old baby. Kisii South Police Boss Beatrice Kigalu said the bodies had been taken to Nyangena Hospital mortuary.