Family of Slain Kenyan Truck Driver in DRC Recounts His Last Moments
A Busia County family is seeking government assistance after their son, truck driver Edwin Njuguna Ngugi, was killed while on duty in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ngugi had been transporting goods from Mombasa to Bunia and last spoke with his family on 3 April. During that call, he reported that his truck had broken down in an insecure area and that he was under the watch of military personnel.
In subsequent messages, he described facing an attempted attack by armed men and said the cargo owner had promised to send another vehicle. That assistance did not arrive.
Family members say that the soldiers who had initially offered protection later demanded money and then left him unguarded. He was subsequently attacked and killed by suspected rebels, who looted the truck and abandoned his body in a forest.
His remains were discovered several days later by other Kenyan drivers, who shared images through a WhatsApp group in an effort to identify him. The family learned of his death ten days after the incident, when the body was taken to Bunia Hospital mortuary.
His mother, Rose Ngugi, said the family was distressed to receive news of his death through photographs rather than official communication. She has asked the Kenyan government to assist in repatriating the body and has rejected proposals for burial in the DRC. The family also criticised his employer for failing to offer support following the incident.
The case highlights the risks faced by long-distance truck drivers operating in conflict-affected areas, where security conditions are unstable and communication can be limited. It also points to challenges encountered by families when deaths occur abroad, including delays in information and the cost of repatriation.
A similar situation has affected a Nyandarua family seeking to raise KSh 2.5 million to return the body of their daughter, Hannah Njambi, from Turkey. She had travelled for work but died shortly after arriving due to illness.
