Kisumu man dies on the spot after being hit by a speeding vehicle

The driver of the matatu vehicle which veered off the road after it lost control killing a pedestrian at Coptic center along Kisumu - Kakamega road on November 22 2016. The driver of matatu was ferrying passengers to Kisumu from Nyahera before hitting and dragging the elderly man into a ditch. PIC BY COLLINS ODUOR

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 An elderly man died on the spot after he was hit by a speeding vehicle in Kisumu yesterday.

Joseph Odembo, a 55 year old was walking along the Kisumu-Kakamega road before being knocked by the matatu belonging to Kitoma Sacco.

Witnesses said that the driver of the matatu who was ferrying passengers to Kisumu from Nyahera veered of the road before hitting and dragging the pedestrian into a ditch.

Grace Ogot, a passenger in the matatu said that the driver had ignored their calls to drive slowly despite the area being a blackspot.

"We were about 8 passengers in the vehicle and we became concerned with the way the driver was driving the vehicle," said Ogot.

She noted that their attempts to alight from the vehicle were futile as the driver declined to stop the vehicle.

The passengers also noted that they detected that the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

"He was drunk and that is why we wanted him to stop the vehicle and let us board a different one but he declined," said George Onyango, a passenger.

After the accident, he said, the driver attempted to flee from the scene but they nabbed him and held him until the police arrived at the scene.

Irene Akinyi, a niece to the deceased told the Standard that the deceased was headed to their home prior to the accident.

"We were expecting him at home before we received information that he had been knocked down," said Akinyi.

She urged the police to find justice to their kin.

Regional Traffic and Enforcement Officer Andrew Naibei said that the driver of the vehicle was drunk at the time of the accident.

"The driver was tested for alcoholic content and was found drunk with 0.90mgl instead of 0.00mgls as required for drivers of public service vehicles," said Naibei.