Trailer kills rider as it rams into 4 vehicles in Isiolo town

A bodaboda rider died after a trailer ferrying cement hit him in Isiolo town.

Reports showed the vehicle developed brake failure at Maili Nne in Meru County about six kilometres to Isiolo town.

Before wading into the busy Central Business District where it rammed into a Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to one of the MCAs, a pickup and a truck, the trailer had hit a car at Mukuu about 300 metres away.

Isiolo Sub-County Police Commander Collins Sainna said the driver of the trailer said to have been heading towards Samburu hit the rider while trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle.

“The town residents who saw the vehicle coming at a high speed shouted at the rider and asked him to get out of the way but he panicked and got caught up in the crash,” Mr Sainna told the Nation.Africa.

Hundreds of residents who milled at the scene broke into tears on seeing the man’s remains scattered along the highway and caused a traffic snarl up for nearly half-an-hour before police cleared the way.

Mr John Njoroge almost got involved in a head-on collision with the trailer while driving to the town from Public Works.

“I saw the vehicle coming at a very high speed on my lane and something told me to drive into the ditch adjacent to the highway, which I immediately did. I am grateful to God I am alive,” he said.

The police boss said the identity of the deceased remained unknown.

The trailer was intercepted in Kiwanja, kilometres away from where the rider was hit.

Phone handset

“We collected a damaged phone handset from the accident scene but it did not have a sim card,” he said.

The driver and his conductor were arrested as investigations into the incident continued.

“The vehicle will be towed to the station and inspected to establish if the accident was due to carelessness. We will prepare a status report before the duo are arraigned,” Mr Sainna said.

Ms Muslima Abdi Waqo and Mr Mohammed Galgalo appealed to the government to establish an off-the-town diversion for vehicles carrying heavy loads to avoid the congested town.

“We are tired of losing people along the road. The government must swiftly act and offer a lasting solution,” Mr Galgalo said.

A trader at Baraza Park market, Ms Irene Muthoni asked the county government to offer traders who sell their wares along the highway alternative sites to operate from to avoid accidents.

“The situation would have been worse if the accident occurred in the evening when many traders sell their products next to the highway,” she said, while calling for speedy completion of the town’s modern market.

Mr Elgoi Wario said: “More bumps should be erected to help reduce the accidents and tame speed for vehicles carrying heavy loads.” 

Six people among them two primary school boys died and 12 were injured in a similar incident in February at Kangutu, about 300 metres to Isiolo town.

A speeding trailer ferrying milk and cement lost control and swerved off the road while descending the hilly area near Mwangaza Secondary school, ramming into shops and EAPC church.

One of the occupants of the lorry died on the spot while the driver succumbed to injuries in hospital.

Mr Sainna asked motorists plying the stretch and especially the busy town to be cautious to curb accidents during the December holiday.