Eight passengers were on Tuesday rushed to Machakos Level 5 hospital with various degrees of injuries after a 14 seater matatu in which they were travelling lost control and rolled several times before landing in a ditch at Muumandu, along the Makueni- Machakos road.
The matatu, belonging to MATCO SACCO, was heading to Nairobi from Makueni when the accident occurred.
Confirming the accident to KNA, the Machakos Traffic Base Commander, Harriet Kathure, said no body died during the accident, adding that the injured were immediately rescued by Machakos Ambulance which rushed them to the hospital.
She said the cause of the accident could not be immediately established but expressed suspicion that the driver may have been speeding.
“I suspect the accident may have been due to over speeding but not the brake failure,” Ms Kathure said, adding that she had ordered for an inspection of the vehicle’s speed governor to determine if it has been tampered with.
The traffic boss also urged the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to be very careful when inspecting the speed governors and take stern action against drivers and public vehicle owners who will be found to have tampered with the gadgets.
“Most drivers test negative when examined by the famous ‘Alcoblow’ but still get involved in accidents due to over speeding.” Ms Kathure said.
She urged members of the public to stop interfering with the road signs noting that by so doing they were exposing road users to accidents. The wreckage of the vehicle was towed to Machakos Police Station by the traffic police officers as investigations to the cause of the accident commenced.
By Stephen Kimanthi/Angela Muriet/Justus Keesi
