Six motorcyclists die as WRC winds up in Naivasha

Six motorcycle riders and their passengers died in four different incidents along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway during the final stage of the WRC Safari Rally in Naivasha.

During the weekend, over 30 other operators were injured, eight of them seriously in freak accidents in Naivasha sub-county and other spots along the highway.

This came as tens of motorists were stranded for over 12 hours along Moi South Lake on Sunday following a major traffic jam caused by motorists and motorcycle operators.

In the first incident, four youths died on Sunday evening in Kijabe while on their way back to Limuru after attending the rally.

According to James Kabono from Naivasha Road Safety Association, the four were riding on two different motorcycles when the accidents occurred.

“We recorded total madness on Saturday and Sunday mainly from motorcycle operators. Four people died in Kijabe, Limuru in two different accidents after they were hit by motorists,” Kabono said.

He added that another lone operator was killed on the same road at Fly Over, Kinangop and another one near the Gilgil weighbridge while on their way to Naivasha for the final stage of the rally.

He attributed the accidents and ‘road madness’ recorded in Naivasha and major roads to speeding, failure to observe traffic rules and drunk-driving.

“For the first time in the history of Naivasha, we had a traffic jam caused by motorcycle operators, some carrying as many as four people, exposing them to accidents,” he said.

Naivasha OCPD Wilson Sigei confirmed that sanity had returned on the roads after many hours .

“Some motorists, mainly along Moi South Lake Road, were forced to spend over 12 hours on the road mainly due to overlapping and impatient drivers,” Sigei said.

He said that most of the accidents recorded during the rally weekend were caused by speeding motorcycle operators who arrived in the town in their tens.