Raphael Tuju: How I survived a horrific road crash at Kijabe

Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju has, for the first time, explained how the unfortunate news of his “death” was broken by a radio station following his February 12, 2020 road accident, sending his village into a mourning spree.

The Cabinet Secretary without portfolio had just been involved in the horrific road crash at Kijabe, along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.

He was on his way to the burial of former President Daniel Arap Moi in Kabarak, Nakuru County when the accident happened.

Mr Tuju, who plans a 57-kilometre corporate walk tomorrow (Sunday 20, 2021) to Kijabe Mission Hospital - where he was first taken for first aid after the crash - to raise funds for the facility says so severe was the accident that news of his passing was even broadcast.

“There were social media postings and one radio station had broken the news that I had died,” Mr Tuju says.

“My 86-year-old mother who had buried my late brother Kefa who had died of brain cancer just a year earlier was at my Rarieda village home reconciling with the breaking news and hosting some wailing mourners Luo style,” he adds in his memoir.

At the time of the accident, “I was on my way to Kabarak to attend the funeral of Senator Gideon Moi’s father, the Late President Daniel Moi. If I did not recover, we kept saying, mine was the next big funeral he would have been forced to attend.”

He told Nation.Africa that Mr Moi “has insisted he will walk part of the route with me and raise money for the hospital. These are some of the people that have walked with me, and many others will be doing so in the symbolic walk to support and pay tribute to Kijabe hospital and express good will and gratitude to the thousands and even millions who work in hospitals to save lives and serve humanity.”

Mr Tuju however, recalls that when he had the accident, it was not the first time news of his death was broken.

He says it was the second time his mother was going through such an experience of relatives and friends coming to condole her.

“The first time was when I survived a plane crash in Busia in 2003,” the Jubilee official says.

The 2003 crash left then Labour Cabinet Minister Mohammed Khalif and two pilots dead while Mr Tuju and his colleagues Martha Karua, Linah Jebii Kilimo among other leaders survived.

Mr Tuju says his corporate sponsored charity walk to Kijabe mission hospital is an act of paying special tribute to tens of people who contributed to “the miracle of my survival and the consequent recovery.”

 “This walk is turning pain into purpose,” he says.

 “At this modest mission hospital, thanks to availability of reasonable scanning equipment, a health team led by an Australian missionary - Dr Peter Bird detected that I had life threatening internal bleeding besides the many fractures I had sustained.”

“The bleeding was so serious that it was obvious to the doctor that I could not have survived even with a helicopter ride to Nairobi.”

Mr Tuju recalls that on February 12, 2020 when he survived the crash not too far from the signage of Kijabe Hospital, he was rushed to the facility for first aid by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed.

“She frantically called for assistance from Nairobi and by the time we reached the hospital, a helicopter had been diverted and was on the way to Kijabe.”

“A decision was made to operate on my abdomen to stop the bleeding,” Mr Tuju recounts.

He adds that the medic at the facility also found that one of his broken ribs had pierced his right lung which had collapsed causing labored breathing (an abnormal respiration characterised by evidence of increased effort to breathe).

“The operation by the Kijabe Mission Hospital stopped the bleeding. I was then placed in a chopper with Ms Mary Mungai, a nurse from the hospital who helped me breathe using a hand pump,” the CS recalls.

He reveals that his long-time friend and personal physician Dr Dan Gikonyo had rushed to Kijabe when he heard of the accident.

“On arrival at Kijabe, he assessed the proceedings at the mission hospital then drove back to The Karen Hospital to prepare to receive me at the ICU.”

 “So many people came to my rescue and I will never be able to adequately thank them. The team at Kijabe Mission Hospital deserve my special thanks because if they did not make the initial lifesaving interventions, the rest who came to my aid would not have anything to work with apart from helping with funeral arrangements,” Mr Tuju observes.

He adds: “I must acknowledge with deep appreciation the role played by H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta, who went out of his way to ensure I received every possible help at that critical time.”

The accident, he says, fractured 18 bones in his body.

“Following several months of rehabilitation that started with painful attempts to stand and make baby-like steps to reach the bathroom, I recently celebrated my new found freedom and ability to walk.”

Mr Tuju states that the money raised from his walk tomorrow will help equip the Kijabe Mission Hospital theatre and emergency room.

“Before I could walk again following the horrific road accident, I cannot thank enough and mention all those who gave so much and continue to do the same to this day. The act of doing a corporate sponsored charity walk to Kijabe Mission Hospital is an act of paying special tribute to tens of people who contributed to the miracle of my survival and the consequent recovery.”

“This walk is turning pain into purpose. I must make special mention of the following people that exhibited solidarity in ways I could not have imagined possible; The President – H.E Uhuru Kenyatta, CS. George Magoha, CS. Cecily Kariuki, Hon. David Murathe, PS. Karanja Kibicho, CS. Fred Matiang’i, Mr. Muhoho Kenyatta, CS. Amina Mohammed who was the first senior official at the scene of the accident, Ms. Liu Tongqiao of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, cabinet colleagues, political leaders from all sides, family, friends and relatives.”

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