Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

The Nithi bridge accident which claimed 12 lives last week has sparked a war of words between State House Comptroller Katoo ole Metito and Kajiado Governor Joseph ole Lenku.

While in many instances mourning unites rivals, Katoo and Lenku have turned against each other over funeral contributions of the 12 victims who were residents of Ong’ata Rongai, Kajiado North Sub-County.

Katoo took on Lenku over his remarks that the Sh5 million given to the families of the 12 accident victims was “exorbitant”, terming them tribal and insensitive.

“Those who perished in that accident were not only residents of Kajiado but they also voted for you (Lenku). Why the pain of Sh5 million for 11 families? Why the pain on the dead? You contributed Sh100,000, did you contribute the amount based on the fact that the dead were non Maasais? Is contributing a little amount towards the support of immigrants amount to love for the Maa?” asked Katoo.

He said the money contributed by leaders including a Sh2 million donation from President William Ruto was to help the families of those who perished in the accident.

Messages of condolences

But speaking at Ewuaso Kidong’ in Kajiado West Subcounty during a development tour Lenku hit back at Katoo, accusing him of favouring non-locals at the expense of members of the indigenous Maasai community in Kajiado county.

“No Maasai has received funeral expense contributions amounting to Sh5 million. We saw what he (Katoo) did on the non-immigrants. Clearly his heart belongs there,” said Lenku.

Lenku and other leaders visited the bereaved families on Wednesday, a day after he issued a condolence message to the families while at Tumaini, Isinya.

A one-year-old infant, two men and eight women are among those who perished in the accident.

The team was among a group of 20 members of Vision Group who were heading back home from a parental visit in Meru before their vehicle collided head on with another.

The victims included eight adult females, two adult males, and two teenagers.

The driver of the pickup truck sustained a fracture to his right leg, while another passenger suffered head injuries and was referred to Chuka Referral Hospital for treatment.