Naivasha accident death toll may rise

By Antony Gitonga

There were fears the death toll from the Saturday night accident in Naivasha, which claimed 15 lives, could rise.

Eleven victims, among them tourists, are admitted at the Naivasha District Hospital, seven of them in critical condition.

Among those confirmed dead was a tourist in a tour van also involved in the accident along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway. The accident occurred after the brakes of a lorry heading to Nakuru from Nairobi failed, ramming into a matatu and the van.

LOST CONTROL

"The driver lost control and hit a Mololine matatu and a tourist van killing eleven people on the spot," said Naivasha deputy OCPD Paul Korir.

Eleven people died on the spot while four others died while undergoing treatment at the Naivasha District Hospital. Witnesses narrated how the lorry that was carrying electronic goods drove dangerously, flashing its lights to warn motorists before the accident occurred.

Korir regretted the accident, saying that due to darkness, majority of the drivers did not understand why the driver of the lorry was hooting and flashing his lights.

According to a witness, Mr Samuel Mwangi, the mechanical problem occured in Kinungi, 15km away, as the lorry sped downhill.