Speeding city matatu knocks down two pedestrians at Moi Avenue zebra crossing
Good Samaritans assist a woman who was hit by a speeding matatu at pedestrian crossing on Moi Avenue in Nairobi on January 28, 2016. The designated pedestrian crossing has become risky to users due to speeding motorists who disregard the law and fail to slow down. PHOTO | SAMUEL KARANJA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The driver of the matatu, operating under the Super Metro Sacco, was arrested and will charged Friday.
- The pedestrian crossing has become risky to users due to speeding motorists who disregard the law and fail to slow down to give way to pedestrians.
- Late last year, at least six pedestrians were badly injured after they were run over by a matatu on the same spot.
Two pedestrians escaped death narrowly when they were knocked down by a speeding matatu at a pedestrian crossing on Nairobi’s Moi Avenue.
Police said the pair, a 68-year-old woman and a middle-aged man, sustained slight injuries when the matatu hit them as they were using the designated crossing area opposite the Bazaar Plaza.
The speeding vehicle, which was heading into the city centre from Kangemi, screeched to a halt as the two victims were sprawled on the ground on the opposite side of the road during the Thursday morning accident.
Nairobi County Traffic Commander Edward Mwamburi, while confirming the accident, said the Super Metro Sacco driver was arrested and would be arraigned in court on Friday.
“The two, who luckily sustained slight injuries, were rushed to Kiambu Hospital and police took statements from them,” he told Nation.co.ke.
After the accident, an irate mob immediately surrounded the vehicle to prevent the driver from escaping as others assisted the shocked elderly woman to sit up.
RISK TO PEDESTRIANS
The pedestrian crossing has become risky to users due to speeding motorists who disregard the law and fail to slow down to give way to pedestrians.
In late 2015, at least six pedestrians were badly injured after they were run over by an overlapping matatu at the same spot.
The driver of the vehicle, which was heading to Gachie from the city centre, attempted to overlap but lost control of the matatu and ploughed into the six people, including hawkers, in the 7pm incident.
Angry members of the public pulled out the driver from the vehicle and beat him up before he was rescued by a traffic police officer.
The October 2015 accident happened just a few metres from where a 23-year-old woman was crushed between two matatus, leading to her death.
Mr Mwamburi said he would ensure that traffic police officers take “special interest” in the area in an effort to curb the increased cases of accidents.
“I want to also warn drivers that they must note the area is designated for use by pedestrians and they must slow down to avoid knocking them down,” he added.
