10 Killed

At least 10 people were killed early on Tuesday and more than 60 others wounded when a passenger bus crashed near Hola town in Tana River.

Police said six people died on the spot while the other four were pronounced dead on arrival at nearby hospital. The accident occurred at Handapya near Hola town at about 9am.

"The bus was traveling from Hola to Nairobi when the accident occurred, six people died on the spot. There are others who passed away in hospital," area divisional police chief Ngatia Iregi said.

Traffic Commandant Aggrey James Adoli said that many of wounded suffered minor injuries.

"There are only seven passengers who sustained serious injuries, the rest escaped with minor injuries and will be discharged soon," Mr Adoli said on telephone.

The Kenya Red Cross Communication Manager Titus Mung'ou said most of those wounded are men.

"There are 40 men, 19 women, and ten children admitted to hospital in Hola," Mr Mung'ou said in a statement.

He said the Kenya Red Cross personnel were assisting in transferring some of the victims to the Garissa Provincial General Hospital for specialised treatment.

Mr Adoli said the exact cause of the accident had not been established.

The accident occurred barely a fortnight after police commissioner Mathew Iteere ordered an intensive crackdown on unroadworthy vehicles and those flouting traffic regulations, which includes speeding.

Statistics at the Traffic Headquarters show that over 80 percent of accidents in Kenya are caused by speeding and negligence by drivers.

Up to 10 people are killed in road accidents in Kenya every week, according to official statistics available at the Traffic Police Headquarters.