Family mourns mum, kids

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By PETER WARI
THE husband of the pregnant woman who died in a fire with their three children after Wednesday morning’s aftershock has told of the pain and shock he is trying to deal with.
Paul Kende, of Riro Village in the Kewabi local level government, had spent Tuesday night with their two other daughters – Pamila, 14, and Nandame, 3 – with relatives at Pangia station. His eight-month pregnant wife Rosa Paul had spent the night at their home with daughter Andu Paul, 7, and sons Denver, 12, and Agu, 5, when it caught fire. All died.
Kende could not speak much yesterday when The National visited.
“I am left with my two daughters. I am lost and in pain. I lost two of my boys, daughter and my pregnant wife” he said with tears streaming down his face.
Kende walked away to grieve with his daughters as relatives gathered for their funeral.
Wangai councillor Ben Yoka said the mother had left the two daughters with their father at Ialibu station and travelled to the village on Tuesday morning.
“The pregnant mother after travelling more than eight kilometres from Ialibu station to the village with her children worked in the garden and made five sweet potato mounds,” he said.
“She was tired after the long walk and the garden work and went to bed early.
“She did not properly put out the fire (too cook food) in the semi-permanent house.
“When the earthquake occurred around 12.30am, it shook the house and the embers dropped causing the fire.”
Yoka said people needed awareness on how to prepare for disasters.