Devastating Gilgil Tragedy: 11 Perish in Ghastly Midnight Matatu Carnage

A Friday night journey turned into a horrific tragedy after 11 people lost their lives in a grisly road accident involving a public service vehicle and a stalled trailer at the Kariandusi area, near Gilgil, along the busy Nairobi–Nakuru Highway.

The Collision

The accident occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. near the Lake Oil bridge. According to police reports, a 14-seater matatu belonging to the Likana Sacco was travelling from Naivasha toward Nakuru when it rammed into the rear of a stationary trailer.The trailer had reportedly stalled on the climbing lane due to mechanical failure. The impact was so severe that the front half of the matatu was completely compressed, trapping passengers within the wreckage.

Casualties and Survivors

Gilgil Sub-County Police Commander Winston Mwakio confirmed that 10 people, including the driver of the matatu, died on the spot.”One more victim succumbed to injuries while being rushed to the hospital, bringing the death toll to 11,” Mwakio stated. “Between two and five survivors were rescued from the wreckage and are currently receiving emergency treatment at the Gilgil Sub-County Hospital.”The bodies of the deceased were moved to the Gilgil Sub-County Hospital mortuary for identification and post-mortem examinations.

Official Investigation

Early Saturday morning, the mangled wreckage of the Toyota Hiace was towed to the Gilgil Police Station.Investigators are currently probing whether the stalled trailer had displayed the mandatory life-saver triangles or if there was sufficient lighting to warn oncoming motorists. “We are looking into the circumstances of why the stalled vehicle was still on the road at that hour and if the driver took necessary precautions,” said Commander Mwakio.

National Alarm

The Kariandusi crash adds to a grim tally for the Easter weekend. By Saturday morning, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) reported that at least 20 people had died in various accidents across the country within a 12-hour window.In response, the NTSA issued an urgent safety advisory, reminding motorists that “it is a legal requirement to remove stalled vehicles from the roadway immediately and to use visible warning signs to prevent such avoidable tragedies.”Traffic on the Nairobi–Nakuru highway remained slow on Saturday morning as authorities cleared the final debris and increased patrols to manage the heavy holiday traffic