Cane truck overturns killing one person, injuring five

KAKAMEGA, KENYA: One person died on spot and five others seriously injured after a lorry overturned at Namakoye village in Navakholo Sub County.

The Sunday evening accident involved a privately owned lorry contracted by Mumias Company ferrying cane to the company.

The driver was among those who were seriously injured as one of the loaders died after his attempts to jump off the lorry failed.

The deceased was among the other cane loaders sitting on the top of the lorry at the time of the accident.

Confirming the accident Navakholo OCPD Muturi Mbogo said police have launched investigations to establish cause of the accident.

"We have not yet established the cause of the accident. One person died on spot, six were injured. Five have been discharged while one was referred to Kakamega County Hospital" said Mbogo.

According to eye witnesses, the lorry was speeding before it slid on the slanting gravel road and overturned.

"The lorry was in high speed chasing another lorry ahead. It slid on this gravel and overturned killing one of its loaders on spot as others managed to jump but they sustained injuries and were rushed to Navakholo Sub County hospital" said Edward Namususuni, an eye witness.

He also blamed the contractor who is graveling the road for failing to grade and balance the road posing serious challenges to road users.