Kenyans mourn Naivasha accident victims

40 perish after tanker bursts into flames

What you need to know:

  • Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga mourned with the families of those who died in the horrific accident saying it was a sad day for the country.
  • Mr Odinga also grieved with the families of soldiers who also died in the accident that was caused by tanker which rammed into a vehicle after its driver lost control after hitting a bump.
  • Mr Musyoka asked Kenyans to exercise caution on the road during the festive season to avoid loss of lives.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, his Deputy William Ruto were among leaders who sent message of condolences to the families of those who were killed in the Saturday night accident that claimed 40 lives.

ODM leader Raila Odinga and his Wiper counterpart, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, also sent their condolences to the bereaved families on Sunday.

State House Spokesperson Manoah  Esipisu said: “The President’s thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have lost their lives. He joins all Kenyans in praying for the families affected, that they have the strength to overcome this tragedy.”

Mr Ruto, who visited the scene of the accident, said the government will offer support for the affected families.

“We sympathise with the affected families and urge motorists to exercise caution when using the busy road,” he said.

Mr Odinga said the loss of security officers who were on duty was a big blow to the country.

“We also extend deep appreciation of the security officers at the scene of the accident struggling at this moment to identify bodies and to get the traffic moving again. They have shown dedication and diligence,” he said.

Mr Musyoka asked Kenyans to exercise caution on the road during the festive season to avoid loss of lives.

“This accident is even more heart-breaking, coming so close to the Christmas holidays when families come together to celebrate the birth of Christ,” Mr Musyoka said.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery said 33 people had died during the accident, and that six had been rescued with two of them treated and discharged. The other four were taken to Nairobi for medication.

SUSTAINED 80 PER CENT BURNS

One of those who were taken to Nairobi is admitted at the Nairobi Hospital while the other three, who sustained 30 to 80 per cent burns, were at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

“This is a national disaster and we urge everyone to be patient as the government does everything within its powers to conclude its investigation,” he said.

Transport Principle Secretary Irungu Nyakera said during a joint Press Conference at Harambee House, Nairobi, that the truck did not flaunt any rule by passing through the route.

“We have had concerns from the public that the accident was caused by a bump that was erected earlier this year, but this is subject to investigations. We have to look at the design of the bumps to ascertain this,’ he said.

He said the bumps were erected after residents complained that there were too many accidents there.

“The residents had threatened to erect bumps themselves, if the government did not do so,” Mr Irungu said.

He promised that investigations will also look into the status of the canter, the driver’s state and other possibilities of what may have caused the accident.

Council of Governors chair Peter Munya called the accident a “a sad incident whose psycho-social impact will remain etched in the families and individuals for many years.”

Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua said that the highway’s design has been overtaken by time. “This accident shows that this road is outdated. We need to urgently construct a dual carriage way because it is clear that if we had it, we would have saved more lives,” he said when he visited the scene.

Additional reporting by Magdalene Wanja, Macharia Mwangi Stella Cherono, Ouma Wanzala and Verah Okeyo