Student killed in road crash on her way home for school fees

A secondary school student who had been sent home for school fees has died in a road accident on the Meru-Nairobi highway.

The accident occurred near Kirubia Stadium in Tharaka Nithi County.

The student from Kiereni Secondary School was walking to Chuka town when she was knocked down by a speeding car as she crossed the highway.

Boda boda operators who witnessed the incident said they saw the girl get hit and she landed on the roadside about five metres away while the speeding vehicle stopped 30 metres away.

Declined

Mr John Mutembei, a boda boda operator, regretted that he and his colleagues declined to carry the girl to Chuka town because she only had Sh20 instead of the usual Sh30 fare, only for her to be killed a few metres from them.

“I wish we carried her because the girl first approached two colleagues while holding Sh20 but they declined because the distance from Kirubia Stadium to Chuka town usually costs at least Sh30,” said Mr Mutembei.

He said after they declined to carry her, she decided to cross the road to join her colleagues who were also walking to Chuka town, a distance of about one kilometre.

Mr Mutugi Kirimi, another boda boda operator, said the girl looked worried when she approached them and did not even bargain after they told her Sh20 was not enough.

“Had we known what would happen to her, we would have even carried her for free. We regret it,” said Mr Kirimi.

The body was picked up by officers from Chuka Police Station and taken to Chuka County Referral Hospital while the car was towed to the station yard.

The driver of the personal car was taken to Chuka Police Station while his two traumatised passengers were attended to by Tharaka Nithi County Rescue and Paramedic officers.