9 killed in accident near Thika

By LORDRICK MAYABI | April 11, 2013

Among the dead were the drivers of the matatu and the truck who perished on the spot as well as seven passengers in the matatu/CFM

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 11 – Nine people have been killed and several others injured after a matatu collided with a light truck near Kakuzi on the Thika-Nyeri highway.

According to Traffic Commandant Samuel Kimaru, the driver of the matatu was overtaking another vehicle when it collided with the oncoming truck.

“There has been reported head on collision between a 14-seater matatu and a lorry between Kenol and Makuyu and so far there have been nine fatalities confirmed,” Kimaru said.

“The matatu driver was careless,” he pointed out.

Among the dead were the drivers of the matatu and the truck who perished on the spot as well as seven passengers in the matatu.

The commandant, who could not confirm the number of those aboard the two vehicles, said that the injured had been rushed to the Thika District Hospital.

According to the Kenya Red Cross, four of the injured are in critical condition.

Kimaru said that the matatu was headed to Nanyuki before the accident that occurred at 7.30am.

“I don’t know for how long we will sing the song of cautious driving, because majority of these accidents are caused by human error,” he said.

Last week, the traffic department confirmed that 904 people have died this year comprising 395 pedestrians, 79 drivers and 272 passengers.

More than 240,000 traffic offenders have been charged in courts across the country, and paid fines to the tune of about Sh500 million since the stringent Traffic Act 2012 was made effective in December last year.