Seven killed, many injured in weekend accidents

By CYRUS OMBATI and FRANCIS ONTOMWA

Four people were killed and 10 seriously injured in an accident in Kijabe area, along the Nairobi-Naivasha highway.

Two others were killed and 20 seriously injured in another accident involving a bus and a trailer along the Nairobi–Mombasa highway.

A bus, a Canter truck and a van were involved in the first one. Police said the Kimende accident occurred when the bus rammed the two vehicles before it rolled. The 33 people who sustained minor injuries were rushed to Kijabe Mission Hospital.

The accident saw the road closed for many hours as rescuers from Kenya Red Cross rushed to save the injured. Police said they are investigating the crash and that the injured were in stable condition.

A witness said the van had broken down on the road but no safety or warning signs had been placed to warn or notify oncoming traffic.

In Nairobi, along Valley Road, seven people were injured in an accident that involved a lorry and three saloon cars near the NPC church.

The injured were rushed to hospital. Nairobi Area head of traffic Patrick Lumumba, said speeding was the cause of the mishap.

“As always, we urge motorists, pedestrians and other road users to be cautious,” he said.

And a bus driver was among those killed in another accident after two vehicles collided head-on along Nairobi-Mombasa highway. The driver died while receiving treatment at Moi General Hospital in Voi.

Ten of the injured passengers were treated and discharged while the other ten are still in hospital.

Taita Taveta OCPD Nathaniel Aseneka urged drivers especially those driving at night to be careful.

Along Mombasa Road in Nairobi, a pedestrian was knocked down as he tried to cross the road. He was rushed to hospital in serious condition.

Meanwhile, Housing Minister, Soita Shitanda and his driver were involved in an early morning?accident along Webuye-Kakamega road. Nobody was injured in the?8am mishap, which occurred at Mwiyala, about a kilometre from Kakamega town.

Kakamega OCPD Joseph Omija said the minister’s vehicle swerved into a ditch but was not badly damaged.

The Malava MP, who spoke to The Standard after the happening allayed fears that he had suffered any injuries but described the development as a lucky escape. “We were?about a kilometre from Kakamega town when an oncoming lorry carrying electricity posts swerved towards our side,’’ he added.

He said his car hit another vehicle that was ahead after it had avoided a head-on collision with the lorry.