13 die in Kenya road crash
Kenya Red Cross personnel at the scene of an accident involving a lorry and a matatu at Kiambaa on the Nairobi- Nakuru highway April 21, 2012. Ten people died and five others were injured in the crash. RED CROSS
Thirteen passengers, including six members of the same family, perished on Saturday when a 14-seater matatu they were travelling in collided head-on with truck at Kiambaa along the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
The survivors, two adults and a child, were taken to the PCEA Kikuyu Hospital with injuries.
Lost control
Police said the accident involving a matatu belonging to the Mololine sacco was caused by the driver of the truck, who lost control of the vehicle and swerved into the lane of oncoming vehicles.
“The trailer hit the pavement separating the two lanes and swerved into the oncoming traffic, hitting the 14-seater matatu,” said deputy traffic commandant Samuel Kamaru.
According to eyewitnesses, the truck, which was speeding towards Naivasha, was trying to overtake another truck when the accident occurred.
“The trailer was neck and neck with another trailer when it swerved to avoid hitting a saloon car that was ahead,” said an eyewitness, Mr Simon Ngaru, a resident of Kiambaa.
The survivors
At PCEA Kikuyu hospital a nurse said the survivors were in a stable condition. One of them, Mr Simon Muriuki, suffered minor head injuries and a fractured hand.
The 27 year-old lost six family members in the accident. “I was headed to a family function in Nairobi with seven of my family members when the accident occurred.
“When I regained consciousness I was told all but my six-year-old niece had perished,” said a shocked Mr Muriuki.
Another survivor, Mr David Chege, who was on the passenger seat at the front of the ill-fated matatu, said he saw a truck headed towards them.
The bodies of the dead were taken to the Nairobi City mortuary. Kikuyu MP Lewis Nguyai, who visited the accident scene, asked the government to repair the road as it has many potholes.
