Six people have been confirmed dead, and several others injured in an accident at Timau Town, along Meru-Nanyuki Road, on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
According to Guri West Sub-County Police Commander Laura Imbacha, a truck carrying building stones lost control and hit pedestrians on the roadside.
Imbacha stated that the accident occurred at about 6:30 pm and involved a motorcycle, whose rider was among the fatalities.
“On reaching the location of the accident, the driver lost control. He knocked down several pedestrians, and the lorry landed in a ditch,” Imbacha said.
Imbacha confirmed that the six victims died on the spot, while an unknown number of injured people were taken to various hospitals for treatment.
“As a result, four male adults and two female juveniles died on the spot. Several pedestrians were rushed to unknown hospitals by good Samaritans,” she said.
“We have started investigations into the incident, and more details about the injured and the identity of the deceased will be released after the relatives are informed. That is all we can say at the moment.”
Eyewitnesses Recount Accident
Bodies of the deceased were taken to Nanyuki General Hospital Mortuary for preservation. Eyewitnesses narrated that some pedestrians died after being hit by the building blocks.
“When the driver lost control of the truck, the vehicle swerved and hit the pedestrians before landing in a ditch. Building blocks flew into the air and hit some pedestrians, who died on the spot,” said one witness.
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Murkomen Gives Update on Road Crashes
Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen has been under pressure since the beginning of the year due to traffic accidents.
Speaking on May 20, Murkomen attributed the increased number of accidents to recklessness, maintaining that the government will roll out stringent measures to tame road crashes.
The CS stated that pedestrians, especially those in big cities, bear the biggest brunt of road deaths.
He further emphasized that the government is working round the clock to ensure road safety, including the installation of speed cameras and getting the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to crack down on unroadworthy vehicles and irresponsible motorists.
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NTSA Statistics
The NTSA report revealed that 1,108 Kenyans have died in road accidents between January and April 1, 2024.
NTSA Director General George Njao stated that speeding and drunk driving were the leading causes of accidents in the country. According to the statistics, 1,189 fatalities were reported in 2024 compared to 1,129 during the same period last year. Additionally, 2,693 people have been slightly injured in 2024, a 56% increase from the 1,726 recorded in the first three months of 2023.
Pedestrians lead in the number of fatalities with 436, followed by passengers at 255. The other fatalities were as follows: motorcyclists (276), pillion passengers (102), drivers (98), and pedal cyclists (22).
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