Eight dead, 15 injured after matatu crashes

A relative is overwhelmed with grief after viewing the wreckage of the matatu in which two passengers died on the spot, at the Elementaita Police Station yesterday. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Eight passengers were killed and several others injured when a matatu they were travelling in veered off the Elementaita-Nakuru road and rolled several times.

The Tuesday evening accident, which occurred at Mzee Wanyama area at about 8.30pm, was headed to Nakuru town from Kiptangwan.

Police Commandant Hassan Barua said the vehicle’s left rear tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control.

Volunteers and police offices pulled the survivors from the mangled wreck before taking them to the Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

Mr Barua said two people died on the spot while five were pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. The eight one died while receiving treatment. 

“Those involved in the accident were coming from a burial ceremony,” said the officer.

Fifteen passengers survived the accident.

The damaged vehicle was towed to Elementaita Police Station.

View wreckage

Relatives and friends of the accident victims, who visited the police station to view the wreckage, were overwhelmed with grief. 

Gladys Wangui said they were coming from a funeral in Kiptangwan, which is approximately four kilometers from the accident scene.

“It is sad to have lost our family members after we had buried our uncle,” said a weeping Wangui.

A woman identified only as Wanjiku lost two daughters and a niece in the accident. 

“Where are my children? Where are they? Why did they have to die in this vehicle just a moment after they came to condole with me during the burial of my brother,” she posed. 

The hospital’s nursing officer in charge Alphaxard Kemboi said they received 21 patients.

“Majority of the patients received were in critical condition. Five of them died on arrival, one died during treatment, four were treated and discharged while 11 have been admitted,” said Mr Kemboi.

Meanwhile, the Government in collaboration with the Traffic department and the National Transport and Safety Authority is sensitising pedestrians and motorists on road safety to curb rising cases of road carnage.

The initiative was adopted after the traffic department released a report for the past five months showing that most of the road casualties were pedestrians.

Police Commissioner in charge of training Mary Omari said the sensitisation was being conducted in regions along the Northern Corridor (Mombasa to Malaba), which report the highest number of accidents and deaths.