Saitabao Ole Kanchory mourns tragic Gilgil crash that killed 3 siblings
By Faith Lagat, January 23, 2026
Human rights advocate Saitabao Ole Kanchory has expressed deep sorrow over the devastating Gilgil road accident that claimed the lives of three young siblings, leaving their US-based Kenyan mother childless.
In a post on X on January 23, 2026, Kanchory wrote, “This one has really broken my heart. I barely have any words of comfort for the mother except to say that, as parents, we are merely stewards and our children belong to God from whence they came. Your lovely kids are with their heavenly father, mama. Pole sana,”
Accident details and aftermath
Preliminary reports have it that the tragedy occurred on January 4, 2026, when Ms. Wangui Ndirangu, originally from Kenya and a long-time resident of Waterloo, Iowa, was traveling with her American husband Christopher Winkelpleck and their three children, Njeri (16), Emmanuel (13), and Kairo (6), in a hired public service van heading to Bungoma County.
The family had a tradition of visiting a children’s home they supported before returning to the US. Near midnight on the Nakuru-Naivasha highway at Gilgil, a trailer overtaking dangerously nearly hit them head-on.
The van swerved, but the trailer struck the middle section of the vehicle, causing it to roll. Emmanuel and Kairo died at the scene or shortly after, while Njeri was rushed to Nakuru Women’s Hospital and later transferred to Nairobi Hospital. Despite multiple surgeries and an induced coma, she passed away on January 16, 12 days after the crash.
“At almost midnight, a trailer which was overtaking almost hit them head-on. The driver of their vehicle tried to avoid it by getting out of the road. So, this trailer hit them at the [middle section] of their vehicle and rolled,” Maina Kai, a cousin of Wangui narrated.
Family response and memorial
The parents survived with minor bruises and were not hospitalised. The family initially delayed burial plans for the boys to focus on Njeri’s treatment, but after her passing, they opted for cremation.
A memorial service took place at the International Christian Centre on Mombasa Road, with the children’s bodies collected from Umash Funeral Home at 7 a.m., followed by the service at 9 a.m. and cremation at Kariokor Crematorium.
Wangui’s first two children were from her previous marriage to Darwin Deleon, who joined the grieving family in Kenya, while Kairo was born to her current husband. The family had planned to return to Iowa on January 7, just days after the accident.