13 killed in road accident in Kenya
Nairobi, Aug 20: At least 13 people were killed and 36 others injured in a road accident involving a passenger bus and several vehicles on a busy highway in northwestern Kenya on Tuesday morning, according to police and survivors.
The accident occurred on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway at around 5am local time when a bus travelling from Kisumu in the western part of the country to Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa reportedly lost brakes on a steep climb and plunged into a ditch after colliding with other vehicles and barricades ahead, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to survivors, the passenger bus was carrying about 51 passengers.
“36 injured persons have been rushed to Molo and Coptic hospitals following a road accident involving a PSV bus and several vehicles at Miga in Molo, Nakuru County,” the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) said on X.
According to police, fatal accidents are common in Kenya due to reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, drunk driving and other reasons.
Rift Valley regional police commander Jasper Ombati said the dead included an infant, five women and seven men.
A survivor said the accident occurred when a passenger bus driver lost control of his vehicle and collided with a Toyota Passo before hitting a culvert and sliding into a ditch.
She confessed that the bus carrying people from Kisumu to Mombasa had mechanical problems since the start of the journey.
The survivor, who did not identify herself, said passengers had complained about the condition of the vehicle, forcing the driver to stop at Kericho at 1 am for repairs.
“After a search for a mechanic late at night, the bus was repaired and we resumed our journey,” he said. He said passengers noticed that the vehicle’s brake system had failed and began praying for their lives.
The bus driver lost control and collided with a small car, people started screaming, the passenger sitting next to me died, she fell out of the vehicle, the survivor said.
Ombati said the survivors were rushed to different hospitals in Molo, Rongai and Nakuru town with varying degrees of injuries.
He urged motorists to be very careful, especially while driving during the rainy season.
“Motorists should avoid speeding, reckless overtaking and drunk driving to reduce road accidents and save lives,” he said.
He said it was important to ensure vehicles were in good condition before starting a journey.
Ombati said the traffic police would investigate the actual cause of the accident, including taking the bus for a motor vehicle inspection.
The bodies were taken to the Molo District Hospital mortuary while the damaged vehicles were taken to the Salagaa Police Station.
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