A tragic incident during the recent Nairobi floods has left families and friends mourning the loss of a young man who died after being trapped in a car alongside his boss, who had offered him a lift from work.
The incident occurred on March 6 when heavy rains pounded Nairobi, causing severe flooding that swept through several roads and estates. The young employee had reportedly just begun to excel in his career and had recently received a Best Employee award at his workplace.
According to a friend identified as Eugene Orimbo, the young man was travelling with his boss, project manager Eric Mutua, after leaving a work conference. Mutua had kindly offered the junior colleague a lift home. However, their vehicle became trapped in rising floodwaters at the T-Mall roundabout along Lang’ata Road.
Friends and family remained in contact with the young man for several hours as the situation worsened. Orimbo recalled that the victim was still answering calls until about 9:12pm, after which communication suddenly stopped, raising alarm among those trying to reach him.
Later, relatives were forced to visit the City Mortuary, where the heartbreaking news was confirmed that both the young employee and his boss had died in the flood tragedy. Their deaths shocked many who had been speaking with them earlier and had even made plans to meet that same evening.
The devastating floods caused widespread destruction across Nairobi, trapping more than 70 vehicles and claiming at least 24 lives. The disaster also sparked criticism of the city’s drainage systems and the government’s response to earlier flood warnings.
As families continue to mourn, friends of the victims have called for better disaster preparedness and improved infrastructure to prevent similar tragedies in the future.