The Nairobi-Mombasa highway was recently the scene of a tragic accident that has left numerous families in grief.
Early on a Wednesday morning, a bus and a truck violently collided between the towns of Machinery and Kambu, situated in the Makueni region of the well-traveled Nairobi-Mombasa Highway. This devastating news was confirmed on Thursday by Kibwezi Sub-County Police Commander Maina, during a press briefing.
This fatal incident led to the untimely death of five individuals. Additionally, a significant number of injured passengers were immediately transported to nearby medical facilities to receive the essential care they desperately needed. Reports suggest that this unfortunate event unfolded in the early hours of Wednesday, when many might have been asleep or caught off-guard.
Photographs circulating from the accident site provide a harrowing view of the aftermath. The bus, which was part of the public transportation system, bore extensive damages from the collision. On the other hand, the truck appeared to have flipped over, a testament to the sheer force of the impact.
At the moment, the exact reasons leading up to this heart-wrenching accident remain unclear and investigations are ongoing.
Remarkably, this incident wasn’t isolated. Just a day prior, another tragedy befell the city of Nairobi. Another public service vehicle met with an accident at a major city roundabout, located at the intersection of Haile Selassie Avenue and Uhuru Highway. St John Ambulance, a prominent emergency service provider, reported that out of the affected passengers, five sustained severe injuries and one individual was in an especially critical state. Their statement elaborated, “Five passengers have sustained serious injuries, with one of them being in a particularly dire condition after a vehicular mishap this afternoon at the Haile Selassie/Uhuru Highway roundabout in Nairobi.” They further mentioned that their medical team promptly shifted the injured victims to Kenyatta National Hospital for intensive care.
A disturbing trend is emerging in Kenya, with a continuous increase in road accidents. Data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) paints a grim picture. Last year, as many as 21,760 individuals were involved in various road accidents. When compared to the figures from 2021, where 20,625 individuals were implicated in similar mishaps, there is a clear upward trajectory by 1,135 more incidents. From January to June of the current year alone, records reveal that a staggering 2,124 people met their untimely death due to road-related tragedies.
A deeper dive into this issue suggests that the main culprits behind this surge in fatalities are drivers who are either not adequately trained or unfit to be behind the wheel. A breakdown of the victims indicates that pedestrians are the most vulnerable group, with 571 fatalities. This is closely followed by motorcycle operators, who accounted for 449 casualties. The statistics and recent incidents underscore the pressing need for more stringent road safety measures in Kenya.