Tragedy struck early Sunday morning when six members of the same extended family died after the matatu they were travelling in lost control and plunged into the Kiama River at Wacengu Bridge in Murang’a County.
According to police, the victims were from Ndia village in Kariara Ward, Gatanga Constituency, and were returning home from a dowry ceremony in the Nazareth area of Kiambu County. Among the deceased were a husband and wife, while six other passengers sustained injuries and were rushed to Kirwara Hospital and Murang’a Level 5 Hospital for treatment.
Authorities said the matatu veered off the road before plunging into the river in the early hours of Sunday, October 26. Police officers who arrived at the scene confirmed the fatalities and moved the bodies to a local mortuary pending post-mortem examinations and further investigations.
The Murang’a crash adds to a worrying surge in road fatalities witnessed across the country. Just a day earlier, six people were killed in a head-on collision between a bus and a private car at Soysambu near Gilgil along the Nakuru–Nairobi Highway.
Police statistics indicate that 23 people have died in separate road accidents since Saturday, including passengers, pedestrians, and motorcyclists.
Authorities have attributed the rising number of crashes to reckless driving, speeding, and drunk driving, as well as mechanical failures such as faulty brakes and worn-out tyres. Poor road conditions and inadequate enforcement of traffic laws have also been cited as contributing factors.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) continues to urge motorists to observe traffic rules and maintain their vehicles properly to curb the alarming rate of road accidents in the country.
