Easter car racing turns tragic as several killed

Wreckages of vehicles that crashed during a car racing competition between Kenyans and Tanzanians in Namanga, Tanzania, on April 21, 2019. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Witnesses said the cars crashed into each other before ploughing into a crowd of spectators.
  • Many of those dead are believed to have been spectators.
  • The DCC could not confirm what time the accident happened.

An unconfirmed number of Kenyans died Sunday evening in an Easter car racing accident near the Tanzanian town of Arusha.

Police sources said the accident involved two cars, one from Kenya and the other from Tanzania, and that it happened at Ol Donyo Sambu, 25 kilometres to Arusha from the Namanga crossing.

Police sources indicated that at least eight of those who died were Kenyan.

The victims were participating in a street car racing event dubbed The Arusha Drive 3.0.

SPECTATORS

Witnesses said the cars crashed into each other before ploughing into a crowd of spectators.

Many of those dead are believed to have been spectators, even though photos from the event showed several bodies being pulled from the mangled wreckages of the car.

A video clip from the scene showed first responders attempting to resuscitate the victims and others collecting bodies from the road.

Inspector-General of Police Hilary Mutyambai and Kajiado Deputy County Commissioner Charles Wambugu said eight people had perished in the accident, but added that the finer details of the crash had yet to trickle in from Arusha last evening.

“I am working very closely with my counterpart in Tanzania, Mr King Mwaisumbe, to follow up on the matter,” said Mr Wambugu.

“The (Kajiado) OCPD has also gone to the scene of the accident and will be briefing me shortly.”

AUTHORITIES AWARE

The DCC could not confirm what time the accident happened, and was unaware whether the race had been approved by the authorities, but Mr Mutyambai said authorities were aware of the event.

An officer at the Namanga Police Post told the Nation by phone that the cars collided side-by-side and veered off the road, hitting spectators by the roadside.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that some of those died or injured were relatives of prominent Nairobi families, some from Runda.