Two Uasin Gishu county staff dead, two others seriously injured in Eldoret accident

Uasin Gishu, Kenya: Two Uasin Gishu county staff have died and two others seriously injured in a grisly road accident involving a pick up and truck along Eldoret- Cheptiret highway.  The officials were joining DP Ruto for a burial service.

According to Eldoret west deputy OCPD Lazarus Wambua who arrived at the scene in Autspan area, the pickup had four occupants headed to Chagaiya in Burnt forest while the truck was on its way to Eldoret.

He said that two occupants of the double cabin pick-up died on the spot while the other two sustained major injuries.

"The pick-up was attempting to overtake but miscalculated the overtaking distance leading to a head on collision with the oncoming truck. The pick up was extensively damaged," he said.

Wambua stated that the injured were rushed to Moi Teaching and Referral hospital while the bodies if the victims are currently at the mortuary.

He cautioned drivers against over speeding saying that they need to exercise caution on the highways in order to prevent major accidents.

Uasin Gishu county secretary Peter Lelei however told the Standard that they had lost two county staff and one local leader in the accident.

He said the vehicle was in a convoy that was carrying county officials to join Deputy President William Ruto for a burial service of the late National Kalenjin council of elders chairman Joel Rugut.

"It is unfortunate that we lost senior county officials in the accident, they were headed for the burial via road where they would join the DP and his team who had flown by chopper. One succumbed to injuries upon arrival to hospital," he stated.

The Dp had just from flagging off a fleet of ten county security vehicles that will be used by the police to counter insecurity challenges in the region.