Eight killed after matatu collides head-on with truck
A matatu and a truck collided head-on in Makueni, killing eight people and injuring several others.
Eight people were killed on the spot on Thursday night in a road crash at Mlima Kiu area near Salama town in Makueni County, Mukaa Sub-county Police Commander Barnabas Ng'eno has confirmed.
They were travelling from Nairobi to Loitoktok, Kajiado County in a 16-seater matatu when it collided head on with a truck on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway.
It was raining heavily at the time the accident occurred.
“The accident occurred around 11pm on Thursday. Unfortunately we lost eight people on the spot. There is a possibility that one of the drivers had failed to keep to his rightful side of the road leading to the head on collision,” Mr Ng'eno told the Nation on the phone as he sought more time to establish the actual circumstances leading to the accident.
Those injured in the crash were rushed to various hospitals in Machakos and Makueni counties.
“Before we give a comprehensive report on the accident we have to visit the various hospitals where we rushed those injured to establish their numbers and identities,” Mr Ngeno said.
He revealed that heavy rains which pounded the area had hampered rescue operations. “We had to work very hard to save lives”.
The bodies were taken to Kilungu Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortems while the mangled wreck of the matatu was towed to Salama Police Station.
This is the latest road accident in the region, which has become notorious with fatal accidents in recent months.
