11 GSU presidential guards among 39 dead in the Naivasha tragedy

One of the vehicles that were burnt down at Karai, Naivasha when a lorry carrying highly flammable material burst into flames.  (Photo: Anthony Gitonga/Standard)

Eleven out of 12 General Service Unit personnel who are part of a team guarding President Uhuru Kenyatta were among the 39 people who died in the Naivasha accident.

The officers from GSU’s G Company had been guarding Uhuru at a rally in Bomet and were driving back to Nairobi when they met their death.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery said the officers were among the victims of the accident that happened on Saturday night when a canter carrying inflammable substances rammed into several vehicles before bursting into flames near Karai on the Nairobi-Naivasha Highway.

Six others were injured in the incident but two of them were treated and discharged. A total of 13 vehicles were burnt in the incident.

Nkaissery said three of the victims were admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital and the fourth one at the Nairobi Hospital.

“They have between 30 to 80 degree of burns but they are under care of the doctors,” said Nkaissery.

Nkaissery did not give the identities of the deceased. He however said an inquiry into the accident had been launched.

Other officials said the Presidential Guards who are charged with protecting the various state houses and lodges were driving up the road from Naivasha direction when the incident happened.

Nine rifles that they had were recovered from the scene Sunday morning. They were identified as corporal Abdisalim Aden, corporal James Kamau, constables Samuel Muthiora, Bernard Kung’u, Alfred Nyabando, Victor Tumo, Kevin Kibet, Evans Luturomon, Bernard Mele, Esther Mungai and Joseph Ouko.

A twelfth officer is among those in hospital in critical condition.

Witnesses at the scene said the driver of the canter lost control and hit the other vehicles, which were moving on the opposite direction.

The canter registration number UAK 519C hit a bump before the driver lost control and veered off the lane ramming onto a vehicle in front and burst into flames.

Nkaissery made the remarks in his office while in the company of his PS Karanja Kibicho, Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet, his deputy Joel Kitili, Transport PS Irungu Nyakera and Secretary General of Kenya Red Cross Abass Gulet.

Nkaissery said the vehicle that caused the accident was moving the materials from Mombasa to Uganda when the accident happened at about 9.45 pm.