Three dead, 23 injured in Kisii, Kisumu road accidents

Road accident

Members of the public mill around the scene of the accident involving a bus and lorry that happened along the Kisumu-Busia highway on December 23, 2021.

Photo credit: Angeline Ochieng | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • in Kisii, a Nissan shuttle driver died after the matatu collided with an oncoming vehicle. 
  • In Kisumu, 16 passengers, were injured after a bus was involved in an accident along the Kisumu-Busia highway.

Three people have lost their lives and 23 left injured following two separate road accidents in Kisii and Kisumu on Thursday.

In the Kisii, a Nissan shuttle collided with an oncoming vehicle along the Kisii-Keroka road killing the matatu driver on the spot.

Seven passengers in the shuttle matatu were rushed to Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital where they are receiving treatment. 

Two passengers in the vehicle that collided with the 14 seater Nissan shuttle later succumbed to their injuries while receiving treatment at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital.

In Kisumu, 16 passengers, including nine-month-old twins, are nursing injuries at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital and Kisumu County Hospital after a bus they were traveling in was involved in an accident along the Kisumu-Busia highway.

The Thursday evening accident involved an Acacia bus traveling from Migori headed to Bondo-Usenge and a lorry along Obote road, Kisumu.

According to eyewitnesses, the bus driver lost control and knocked a motorcycle carrying a middle aged lady leaving her with serious injuries.

“The vehicle was swaying from side to side and rammed into a lorry before overturning, “said Mr Charles Ouma, one of the eye witnesses.

Road accident

Members of the public mill around the scene of the accident involving a bus and lorry that happened along the Kisumu-Busia highway on December 23, 2021.

Photo credit: Angeline Ochieng | Nation Media Group

Mr Wilfred Odhiambo, a passenger who was traveling on the bus, said the vehicle was moving smoothly after leaving Kisumu a few minutes before the accident.

The 25-year-old, who boarded the bus at Kisumu heading to Usenge, said the driver decided to take a short cut in order to evade traffic.

“A few minutes later, we heard a loud bang before the bus started swaying from side to side before knocking the lorry and overturning, “said Mr Odhiambo.

The 25-year-old sustained minor injuries on his knees and elbow.

Attending medic Dr Godfrey Opanga of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital said the hospital received 12 patients at 6pm with one having severe injuries.

“Eleven of the passengers are currently in a stable condition, one lady however sustained severe injuries and lost a lot of blood,“ said Dr Opanga.

The other four passengers, according to a junior police officer, are recuperating at KCH in a stable condition.

Road accident

The scene of the accident involving a bus and lorry that happened along the Kisumu-Busia highway on December 23, 2021.

Photo credit: Angeline Ochieng | Nation Media Group

Early this week, the Police Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai urged travelers and drivers to be more careful on the roads as we near the festive seasons in order to avoid accidents.

In Kisii, the driver of the Nissan Shuttle that was travelling from Nairobi to Kisii died on the spot while the other went into hiding soon after the accident.

Eye witnesses said the two drivers were trying to avoid a pothole on the Kisii -Keroka road when the head on collision happened.

The car driver had two children on the front seat and the three had bought some Christmas gifts from Kisii town as they headed home to celebrate.

Rescuers had to braced the afternoon showers to evacuate the trapped passengers.

This caused a heavy traffic snarl up that halted transport operations on the busy highway.