Erastus Kamau, 23, who survived a mad motorcycle race with a friend who died in a crash on August 23, 2023.
| Mwangi Muiruri | Nation Media GroupMuranga
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How I nearly perished in Murang’a daredevil boda boda race for Sh200 that left rival dead
On August 23, 2023, Erastus Kamau, 23, and his friend Edwin Kibata took part in a daredevil motorcycle race. Two minutes into the race, they were hit by a truck on Murang'a-Sagana Road. Kamau sustained minor injuries from the crash while Kibata died.
"It was a stupid challenge. Kibata found me in the Huhi area of Murang'a town and challenged me to the challenge whose winner would pocket Sh200. The deal was that whoever reached Kabuta town first, about three kilometres away, would get the money," Kamau, who claims to be one of the fastest boda boda riders in Huhi, Kamau told Nation.Africa.
"I took up the challenge. The stretch is full of sharp bends and I was confident of winning, having won challenges where fellow boda boda riders offered Sh1,000 prize money," he said.
"During the race, I noticed that my friend's riding skills had improved a lot as he kept me in a neck-and-neck battle," he said.
Mr Kamau said his chance to win the race came about 100 metres to the finish line before a truck in front of them scuttled his dreams.
Mr Simon Karongo, father of Edwin Kibata who died in a cycling challenge on August 23, 2023, on Murang'a-Sagana Road.
"I knew that if I got my calculations right when overtaking the truck, I could beat my rival... We were both on the right side of the road, still tangled together until the truck swerved to the right side of the road," Kamau told Nation.Africa.
"I was on the extreme right side of the road, while Kibata rode between me and the truck when my front wheel hit the truck's metal bumper," he said.
"I was tossed in the air before I fell on wooden structures by the road. I passed out only to wake up at Murang'a Level Five Hospital," he told Nation.Africa.
"God is great, I sustained minor injuries on my hands and legs. The medics, friends and relatives were surprised that I had no fractures and that is when I suddenly became religious," said Kamau, adding that he resolved to give his life to Jesus Christ and to be born again.
According to the incident report filed at Murang'a police station, Mr Kibata hit the cabin door of the truck and died on the spot from severe head and chest injuries.
Kibata's parents - Simon Karongo and Eunice Njeri - were devastated by the news of their son's death.
Eunice Njeri, the late Edwin Kibata's mother.
"He had trained as a mechanic before Covid-19 drove him out of Nairobi in 2020. He came home, trained as a motorbike rider and ventured into the boda boda business. He is gone now. He was enterprising, I don't know why he decided to take part in such a risky competition," Mr Karongo said.
Ms Njeri said: "Losing a first-born son at such an age is unsettling. But as a Christian, I know that God will comfort me.
She revealed that the two friends had been involved in a minor accident on the same road last year.
Kamau's father, John Gathee, said this was his son’s fourth road racing accident.
"I have now told him not to push his luck any further as the gods are not known to be very patient," said Mr Gathee who hopes the tragedy would serve as a wake-up call to all boda boda riders that speeding is dangerous and reckless adventures on the road have serious consequences should they go wrong.
