Fortune FC Head Coach Silvester Odero Dies in Kirinyaga Road Accident
- The football fraternity in Kirinyaga county has been plunged into mourning following the death of the Fortune FC coach
- Silvester Odero is reported to have lost his life following a tragic road accident reported on Monday, July 14
- Eyewitnesses narrated how a car that Odero was travelling in was involved in the accident that claimed his life
Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with TUKO. Enroll Now!
Kirinyaga: A respected teacher at Nyaikungu Secondary School and head coach of Fortune FC, Silvester Odero, has tragically lost his life.
Source: Twitter
Odero died on the morning of Monday, July 14, when his vehicle plunged into the River Kanaro at Kangiciri village in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Kirinyaga county.
How accident that killed Fortune FC coach happened
According to area village elder James Kiragu Mwangi, the accident occurred at approximately 4.30am while Odero was travelling with Julius Mutiso, a sports officer working for the Kirinyaga county government.
They were reportedly driving from Ngurubani towards Kagio when their Toyota NZE vehicle lost control on the Ngurubani–Kangiciri road and veered off the road, plunging into the river.
“We rushed him to Mwea Mission Hospital in Karira after the car plunged into the river, but unfortunately, he had succumbed to drowning,” Mwangi said.
The Kirinyaga West sub-county police commander, Moses Koskei, confirmed the details of the tragic accident.
“The teacher and coach drowned after their vehicle plunged into the River Kanaro. The passenger escaped unhurt and was rescued by nearby villagers,” Koskei explained.
The damaged vehicle was subsequently towed to Sagana Police Station, where it awaits further inspection.
Villagers described being awoken by a loud crashing sound at around early in the morning.
“We heard the noise and rushed to the riverbank. When we arrived, we found the sports officer, Julius Mutiso, crying for help. Unfortunately, Odero had already drowned,” another village elder, David Mugane Karanja, recounted.
Is Ngurubani–Kangiciri Road dangerous?
Community members, led by Simon Mwangi, are now calling on the road contractor responsible for tarmacking the Ngurubani–Kangiciri Road to install metal safety barriers along the dangerous stretch near River Kanaro.
“This is not the first accident here. Guardrails could prevent future tragedies and save lives,” Mwangi emphasised.
The accident has left the football fraternity in Kirinyaga shocked and mourning the loss of their beloved coach.
Source: Facebook
A spokesperson from Kirinyaga Sports Group said they were with the deceased on Sunday, July 13, in Ndia.
“This is a heartbreaking morning for everyone involved in football here. Coach Odero’s legacy will forever live in our hearts. Rest in peace,” the spokesperson said.
Nyamira accident claims 6 lives
Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that six people died after a grisly road accident along the Kisii-Sotik Highway.
The accident was reported near the Nyansiongo Tea Factory junction when a lorry rammed into vehicles and stalls.
Eyewitnesses said the lorry, which was carrying logs travelling from the Keroka area, lost control while on the notorious slope. Six people died on the spot while at least 10 others sustained various injuries and were taken to nearby health facilities.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Joshua Cheloti (Editorial assistant) Joshua Cheloti is a multi-skilled journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication at Mount Kenya University. At TUKO, he's an editorial assistant. Before TUKO, he worked at Nairobi Review as an editorial writer, at Hope Media (Hope TV and Hope FM) as a correspondent in Eldoret, Hivisasa.com digital content editor and online writer, at Biblia Husema Broadcasting (BHB), Eldoret as Radio Presenter. Email: Joshua.cheloti@tuko.co.ke
Valary Akoth Valary Akoth is currently serving as a Tuko Correspondent for Kiambu County. Valary has 2 years of working experience at Radio Mikai, where she served as a Radio Presenter and was responsible for hosting live radio shows, curating playlists. She also worked as a Reporter at Sky Radio from 2023 to 2024 where she covered local and regional news stories, conducted interviews, and provided on-the-ground reports. Valary covers Kiambu and Kirinyaga counties. You can reach her at valaryakoth96@gmail.com.
