1 dies, 3 injured as speeding car hits minors at Sachangwan

A road sign on the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway near Sachang'wan black spot. PHOTO | AYUB MUIYURO/NAKURU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The victim, Monica Wanjiru, was set join secondary school in January having scored 284 marks in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination.

A 14-year-old girl was crushed to death on Wednesday evening while her sister and two cousins sustained serious injuries after a car hit them at Sachangwan while they were crossing the busy Nakuru-Eldoret highway.

According to eyewitnesses, the Eldoret-bound car was speeding when it hit the minors who were standing on the roadside.

The victim, Monica Wanjiru, was set join secondary school in January having scored 284 marks in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination.

Her father, Mr Michael Njoroge, said Wanjiru was his second child to die on the same stretch of road.

“In 2003, I lost another child as a result of a road accident not more than 10 metres from the recent incident,” said Mr Njoroge.

One of the children was taken to Molo Sub-County Hospital while another who suffered fractures was taken to Nakuru Level Five hospital.

Wanjiru’s death brought the number of children who have died on road accidents in the past week to four.

At least three children aged between 8 and 15 were crushed to death by a car that had veered off road at Maili Kumi trading centre a week ago.

Brian Nderitu, another 2018 candidate aged 15, had gone to the trading centre to meet his father to get his blessings as before undergoing an initiation ceremony.

Nderitu, who was a candidate from Jacaranda Primary School, scored 391 marks.

Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui said the deaths were as a result of senseless road crashes that continue to wreak havoc on the roads.

“I urge all motorists and road users to exercise extra vigilance during this period. Every life on our roads counts and must be protected at all cost,” said the governor in a statement.