Several injured in BungomaMumias road crash

Several injured in Bungoma-Mumias road head-on collision accident involving Bungoma Line Shuttle and a West Tours Sacco matatu. [Juliet Omelo, Standard]

Several passengers were injured on Saturday evening following a grisly head-on collision involving two public service vehicles at Sibembe along the Bungoma-Mumias road.

The 5:30pm accident occurred when a Bungoma Line Shuttle and a West Tours Sacco matatu crashed into each other after a boda boda rider allegedly entered the main road from a feeder path without checking for oncoming traffic.

The sudden move is reported to have forced one of the drivers to swerve in a desperate attempt to avoid the motorcycle, leading to the fatal impact.

Witness Fred Wekesa, who was among the first at the scene, said the crash was unavoidable once the boda boda rider joined the highway abruptly.

"The motorcycle rider just came from the right side without looking. The Bungoma Line driver tried to avoid hitting him and ended up colliding with the West Tours vehicle coming from the opposite direction," Wekesa narrated.

He added that the stretch has become a notorious black spot due to overspeeding and lack of safety measures.

The collision left both vehicles badly damaged and caused a major traffic snarl-up, with long queues stretching on both sides of the busy road.

Several passengers sustained broken limbs, deep cuts and head injuries before being rushed to nearby health facilities by well-wishers and emergency responders.

Residents of Sibembe have now raised concerns over the frequency of accidents in the area, urging the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to intervene.

"We have lost so many people here. Let KeNHA put bumps and road signs before more lives are lost," said another resident.

Police officers who arrived at the scene confirmed the incident and launched investigations to determine the full circumstances surrounding the crash.

They also cautioned motorists to exercise vigilance, particularly at known trouble spots.

The wreckages were towed from the scene, easing traffic flow later in the evening.