Two die in accident while celebrating court ruling

By Antony Gitonga

KENYA: Celebrations to mark the ruling by the Supreme Court on the election petition turned tragic after two people were killed in a road accident in Engineer town in Kinangop Nyandarua County.

Area residents had extended the celebrations after the ruling on Saturday when a Nissan matatu hit a lorry killing the two men.

The matatu that had several passengers was speeding along the Engineer-Njabini road when the driver rammed into the rear of the lorry.

The mood dampened the mood of area residents forcing the celebrations in agriculture-rich County to be called off.

According to a witness Amos Kimani, tens of supporters had taken to the streets of the town to celebrate the ruling when the accident occurred.

“There were hundreds of people on the streets both on foot and on vehicle and the Nissan matatu was carrying some of those celebrating when the accident occurred,” he said.

Kimani said that a lorry ferrying milk had stalled by the roadside when the matatu hit on the rear killing two passengers who were seated in the front.

“One of the passengers was trapped in the wreckage for over an hour while the injured were rushed to the nearby North Kinangop Mission hospital,” he said.

Confirming the incident, Nyandarua South OCPD Samson Munyao said that the driver of the matatu escaped after the accident.

He said two people were admitted in hospital in serious condition while the rest had been treated and discharged.

“The driver had joined in the celebrations when the accident occurred and we are looking for him as he escaped soon after the accident,” he said.

The mangled wrecks were towed to Engineer Police Station while the bodies were taken to the Naivasha District Hospital mortuary.

Meanwhile traffic police intensified their crackdown along the Nairobi-Nakuru road as revellers who had travelled upcountry started driving back to work after the Easter holiday.

Tens of vehicles mainly driving to Nairobi caused a major traffic snarl-up as the traffic officers inspected those breaking the law.

Majority of those nabbed were public service vehicles which did not have safety belts or had tampered with their speedometers.