A series of road accidents over the weekend have left a trail of death and injuries across Machakos and Kajiado counties, with at least six people confirmed dead and several others seriously injured.
In the most recent incident, a woman died on Sunday morning after a saloon car plunged into the Yatta canal along the Thika–Garissa highway in Yatta subcounty, Machakos. The vehicle, which had three occupants – a male driver and two female passengers – veered off the road before crashing into the canal.
Eyewitnesses reported that the car was headed towards Kithimani from Matuu when the accident occurred. The deceased woman remained trapped in the mangled wreckage for hours as residents joined police in a rescue mission. The other two occupants were rushed to a private hospital in Kithimani with critical injuries.
This incident came just hours after three people lost their lives in another fatal crash along the Nairobi–Mombasa highway in Athi River, still in Machakos County. A truck carrying three individuals rammed into the wall of the Mombasa–Namanga Road interchange. All occupants, including the driver, died on the spot. Police attributed the crash to loss of control by the driver, who sustained fatal head injuries. The bodies were later moved to the mortuary, and the wreckage towed to Athi River Police Station.
Meanwhile, in nearby Kajiado County, road carnage continues to spark public outrage. A man died recently after being run over by a speeding vehicle near KCB Bank in Kitengela. Days earlier, a mother and her child perished after a lorry knocked them down while they were on a motorcycle on the outskirts of Kitengela town. The incident triggered public anger, leading to the torching of the lorry. The driver sustained injuries after being assaulted, while the boda boda rider fled the scene.
Isinya Subcounty Police Commander Simon Lokitari confirmed the incidents and said the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) had been alerted. KeNHA has since started installing signage at the black spot and is considering adding speed bumps to improve safety.
