Seven killed in early morning accident on highway

Wreckage of the matatu and motorbike that collided in Lwandeti along the Webuye-Eldoret Highway, yesterday. [Duncan Ocholla, Standard]

Seven people died in a road accident involving a truck, a passenger service vehicle and a motorcyclist yesterday morning in Lwandeti along Webuye–Eldoret Highway.

Kakamega County Commander Bernard Muli said the rider attempted to overtake the Webuye-bound truck oblivious of the passenger vehicle coming from the opposite direction.

Among those who died instantly were the rider and his two passengers and four occupants of the passenger service vehicle.

Six other passengers in the 11-seater matatu sustained severe injuries and were rushed to Webuye Hospital in Bungoma County.

“The speeding rider was involved in a head on collision with the matatu whose driver lost control of the vehicle and rammed the trailer from behind just moments after 12am,” said the police commander.

“It is a chilling incident, we urge motorists, especially motorcyclists to be careful when using the busy highway to avert similar accidents,” said Muli. 

On June 1, seven people also died in an accident in Webuye. It was claimed the driver of the matatu was under the influence of alcohol.

“Careless driving is claiming lives. We need to reduce the number of accidents by observing traffic rules,” said the officer.

Elsewhere, 10 people including students escaped death narrowly after they accidentally touched a live electricity wire while erecting a tent at Sigalagala National Polytechnic on Friday.

John Onyango, the county Criminal Investigations officer told journalists that seven students from the college and three Safaricom workers were almost killed while erecting a tent ahead of a planned event by the company.

The victims were first rushed to the county referral facility. The hospital administration confirmed that indeed the 10 victims were brought to the facility before they were transferred to Avenue Hospital in Kisumu.