From Tanzania: Spotlight On Driver Of Gas Tanker In Embakasi Explosion

Detectives are pursuing the driver of the ill-fated truck transporting gas who was reported to have escaped moments before the gas plant at Mradi area in Embakasi, Nairobi County exploded on Thursday night, February 1.

Citizen TV on Thursday, February 8 revealed that the gas explosion which has since claimed the lives of seven people and injured over 300 others was a result of greed from the driver of the ill-fated truck ferrying gas, and unscrupulous traders who were being sold gas illegally.

The truck, other than the driver, is also in the spotlight given that it was revealed to have left Tanzania using the Loitoktok border on January 26, 2024, but arrived in Nairobi five days later on February 1, 2024, with questions abound as to the actual origin of the tanker in the neighbouring East African country, or whether it was on transit across borders.

Moments before the explosion tore through residences within a 200-metre radius, an amateur video showed a resident in Mradi area questioning a man who was approaching him and acknowledging that he was the owner of the tanker, upon being questioned. This is as panic gripped residents who urged motorists to avoid the area amidst gas fumes filling the air.

The explosion then occurred, igniting fires that moved from one house to the other which proved to be a major challenge for firefighters.

A witness revealed that the tanker arrived at the gas plant at around 10:20 pm as most residents had closed down their businesses and returned home. This is the same plant that officials from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) had demolished three times and denied the owner license to operate a gas plant in 2023.

"When it arrived, the gate was opened and the soldier entered. Upon entering, the driver and his team, usually with peculiar habits, stepped outside and looked for customers who wanted their gas cylinders refilled and were particularly targeting traders selling to retailers and hotels...those they know that use gas the most," the witness recalled.

A few traders who were used to buying gas directly from the truck drivers as opposed to the certified companies, which are more expensive, took their gas cylinders to be filled by the truck driver.

The witness managed to count more than 10 cylinders being taken inside the company, an indication that it was to be the truck driver's lucky night as he began filling them one by one directly from the tanker. 10 minutes later, the residents detected something suspicious.

"On stepping outside, I found that the gas had dissipated everywhere...when you get out and feel the essence, you might think it is mist, given how the gas roamed like clouds. The first thing I told my fellow residents was to leave because what we had inhaled would bring problems," added the witness.

He added that the driver while closing the valve to stop the flow of the gas, which he had opened to refill the cylinders, had struggled to do so.

The other option he had was to escape, alerting the traders to vacate the area immediately as it was about to erupt in flames. According to the witness, the driver was bleeding and informed traders that he had tried to close the valve but in vain, and noticing an eventual disaster in the making, he fled.

The driver was identified as Robert Gitau Murithi, who was a resident in the area and whom detectives are chasing down.

Others include Stephen Kilonzo, the manager of the site who allegedly knew about the illegal trade, and Abraham Mwangi, the owner of the ill-fated truck whose wreckage after catching fire and flying over 500 metres before landing on top of a house is yet to be removed a week later.

"There was a time they were parking those gas trucks along the road that you could detect the smell of gas many times. We had raised issues and demanded that they move their trucks away so that we don't get burnt, mostly we were telling them not to bring a reincarnation of the Sachang'wan accident," the witness further noted.

So far, four suspects have been arraigned over the matter including the owner of the site where the incident occurred, Derrick Kimathi, who will remain in police custody for 21 days as the probe continues. He surrendered himself to Embakasi Police Station on Monday.

The State presented Kimathi in court alongside three officials of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). /CAPITAL GROUP

The others are three suspended National Environment Authority (NEMA) officials David Ongare, Joseph Makau and Maryian Kioko.

President William Ruto had on Saturday ordered the arrest and prosecution of officials who issued licences to the gas plant linked to the Embakasi explosion.