Traffic officer killed while making way for Uhuru's motorcade in Nairobi

Traffic police officers directing vehicles in Nairobi

NAIROBI: A traffic police officer died on Sunday night after he was hit by a speeding car along Mombasa Road as he and his colleagues controlled traffic for a presidential motorcade.

President Uhuru Kenyatta had arrived from Ethiopia and his motorcade was leaving Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for State House when the incident happened.

Corporal Levi Njonjo died on the spot when a motorist who was speeding from Mlolongo hit and set him flying at about midnight.

His colleagues who included Embakasi OCPD Apollo Wanyonyi and two other officers had to run for their dear lives to escape the accident as the motorist approached the Mombasa Road-JKIA junction at high speed.

Nairobi traffic boss Edward Mwamburi said Njonjo was not lucky as he died soon after being hit and that the driver of the Toyota Wish was arrested.

"The motorist overtook other cars that had been stopped and came speeding towards where the officers were standing and killed one of them. He is in custody as investigations continue," he said.

The officers rushed to help their colleague as the presidential motorcade approached but realised he had died.

Wanyonyi said he ran for his safety as the car approached and heard a loud bang before he saw Njonjo's body sprawled on the roadside.

"I remember hearing a loud bang and skidding breaks as I looked for a way to ensure my safety. My colleagues too had to duck from the road," said Wanyonyi who described the late officer as a hard working one.

It is not clear if the president was immediately informed of the incident.

The President and First Lady Margaret had arrived from Addis-Ababa in Ethiopia where they attended the AU Summit.

The presidential motorcade is usually helped to move with motorists being stopped to pave way. Police are usually mobilised to help ensuring easy movement for safety purposes.

The incident came hours after the deputy traffic commandant Pius Baraza was involved in an accident near Muthaiga that left him with serious injuries. Officials said Baraza was admitted to hospital after his car overturned injuring him.