Four killed in Embu after car hits bodaboda

Shocked residents of Matakari village in Embu

Shocked residents of Matakari village in Embu County at the scene where four people died on January 4, 2022 after the bodaboda they were riding on was hit by a car.

Photo credit: George Munene | Nation Media Group

Four people, among them three members of the same family, have Tuesday died in a grisly road crash in Embu County.

Those who perished were a mother and her two children, as well as a bodaboda rider.

The accident occurred when a motorcycle, which was carrying the woman and her children, was hit by a vehicle along the Embu-Kiritiri road.

According to residents, the car and the motor cycle were heading towards Embu town from Muraru when tragedy struck in Matakari village.

"The rider, who was carrying three passengers, was going down a hill when his motorcycle was hit by a car. He and his passengers died on the spot," one of the residents, Clement Njeru, said.

Another resident, Peter Nthiga, said he saw the car swerve before it crashed into the motorcycle.

The afternoon incident caused a major traffic snarl-up on the usually busy road as hundreds of residents blocked the road as they struggled to have a glimpse of the bodies.

All the dead victims could not be immediately established.

Soon after the crash, police rushed to the scene and took the bodies to Embu Referral Hospital mortuary while the car was towed to Embu West Police Station and detained for inspection.

Driver held

Police locked up the driver of the car for questioning.

Embu West Sub-County Police commander Julius Kyumbule said investigations had started to establish the circumstances under which the accident happened.

"We want to know what really transpired because the motorcycle and the car were heading to the same direction," he said.

Mr Kyumbule said the driver of the car will be charged in court after investigations are complete.

"It is sad the mother, her son and daughter are among those who perished," he said.

Mr Kyumbule told drivers to be careful while plying local routes to avoid such fatal crashes.