36 sheep killed by speeding trailer along Naivasha

Transport along the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road was temporarily paralyzed after a speeding lorry rammed into a herd of livestock killing 36 sheep and two cattle.

During the incident near Governor's camp, the driver of the lorry that was heading to Naivasha from Mai Mahiu sped-off with some of the carcasses hanging from the vehicle.

A group of motorists and members of the public carted away pieces of meat as the shaken herder watched in shock before police moved in.

In the last couple of weeks, tens of pastoralists from neighboring counties have invaded Naivasha in search of water and pastures due to the ongoing drought.

According to a witness Ibrahim Kageni, the animals were crossing from one side of the road to the other when the lorry that was on high speed knocked them down.

Kageni said that this was not the first time that livestock had been killed by motorists along the way adding that there was a need for an urgent solution.

“Some of the livestock died on the spot while others were left with serious injuries and were slaughtered by the owners and the meat carted away,” he said.

He noted that the number of livestock in the area had risen sharply with the herders using sections of the roads to drive the herds without checking of incoming vehicles.

Earlier tens of motorists using the same road had been stranded for over two hours after a trailer ferrying unrefined cooking oil was involved in an accident near Mai Mahiu town.

During the incident, part of the cargo spilled to the road forcing police to move in and control the flow of traffic as members of the public scrambled for the oil.

According to a resident Joseph Njoroge, the trailer carrying the cooking oil was driving downhill when its brakes failed leading to the accident.

“The lorry spilled part of the unrefined oil on the road making it very slippery but this was cleared two hours later by the fire brigade and flow of traffic resumed,” he said.

Naivasha OCPD Samuel Waweru confirmed both incidents adding that no one had been injured though they were seeking the driver of the lorry that killed the livestock.