Two people perish in a grisly road accident in Kisumu

Members of the public look at the wreckage of a vehicle that was involved in an accident at Coptic centre along Kisumu - Kakamega road on 12th July 2016. Two people including a pedestrian and a boda boda rider died on the spot while three others admitted at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral hospital in critical condition. PHOTO: COLLINS ODUOR

KENYA: Two people died on the spot while three others were critically injured in a road accident along the Kisumu-Kakamega road Tuesday morning.

The accident involved a truck that was headed towards Kisumu town, a pick-up and a motorcycle that was headed in the opposite direction.

Eye witnesses said the accident occurred after the driver of the lorry that was descending down the hill lost control of the vehicle and hit the motorcycle before ramming into the oncoming pick up.

"The driver of the truck which was carrying sand was driving at a high speed before he lost control of the vehicle," a witness told the Standard.

Regional Traffic and Reinforcement Officer Andrew Naibei confirmed that the motorcyclist and a pedestrian perished on the spot.

Naibei noted that among the injured who included the driver of the truck, his turn boy and the driver of the pickup truck were rushed to Jaramogi Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital.

"This area is a black spot and we are urging drivers to be cautious when plying the route," said Naibei.

He noted that the state of the road which is narrow and is still under construction could have contributed to the accident.

"This road is still not in a good condition and drivers may be tempted to engage the free gear," he said.

He urged all road users to be careful while using the roads and vowed to arrest and bring to book errant road users.

"We will arrest drivers who are not wearing seat belts and also riders who do not have reflective jackets and helmets," added Naibei.

Area residents accused the truck drivers playing the route of being careless and putting the lives of many people at risk.

"We have had a big problem with the truck drivers and this is the second accident in barely a week involving one of the trucks carrying sand," said Gladys Atieno, a resident.

They urged the police to set up a road block at the place that is deemed to be a black spot to monitor vehicles plying the route in order to stop road carnage.