At least 10 people lost their lives on Wednesday following a grisly road accident along the Kisumu-Kakamega Road involving a tanker and two matatus. Reports indicated that the tanker rammed into the two 14-seater matatus, leaving 10 dead and several others nursing injuries.
The accident occurred at the Iguhu Bridge along the busy highway. The tanker, which was headed towards Kakamega, lost control and collided with the matatus that were heading towards Kisumu.
Twenty people who were injured were rushed to Mbale District Hospital and Kakamega Referral Hospital for specialized treatment. Police are currently in pursuit of the truck driver, who is said to have escaped the scene after the accident.
The crash comes barely three days after a severe accident involving a public service vehicle (PSV) bus and a trailer occurred along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa Highway on the morning of Sunday, November 10. A bus and a trailer collided head-on in the early morning accident near Salama Town in Makueni County.
The Kisumu-Kakamega road has been prone to accidents. In July 2024, two people died on the same road after a lorry carrying wooden planks, which was traveling from Kakamega to Kisumu, overturned at Mamboleo. According to witnesses, the driver lost control of the lorry before it landed in a ditch.
This latest accident comes at a time when Kenyans are preparing for the festive season, which will see many traveling to various parts of the country. Reports indicate that bus and matatu companies are putting ‘sleeping’ buses back into service to meet the high travel demand.
A section of Kenyans has expressed concern that some of these vehicles, which had previously been grounded due to serious mechanical issues and violations, may now pose a danger to travelers heading home for the holidays.
Kenyans have been advised to stay safe and exercise caution on the roads, especially as the rains continue to fall in various parts of the country.