Four people died and 15 others were seriously injured in a multiple accident involving five vehicles at the Kekopey area along the Gilgil – Nakuru highway on Wednesday afternoon.
One of the deceased persons and some of the 15 injured were secondary school students who were headed home for half-term.
Confirming the accident, Gilgil Sub- County Police Commander Francis Tumbo said the accident occurred when a trailer belonging to the Coca Cola Company which was coming from Naivasha lost control and veered off its lane and collided head-on with an on-coming Toyota matatu on the steep climbing lane near the famous nyama Choma trading centre in Gilgil.
Mr Tumbo said the matatu in turn hit another matatu that was behind it and being a sharp climbing lane, the second matatu rolled and hit a Toyota Noah motor – vehicle which in turn hit a Toyota Hilux double carbine leading to the multiple accident which involved the five vehicles at 4:00pm on Wednesday.
During the multiple accident, two people who included a secondary school student died on the spot while two others died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Gilgil town. The deceased, two males and two females and the 15 injured persons were all travelling in the two aforementioned matatus.
The bodies of the deceased persons have been moved to the Gilgil Sub County Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem and further investigations into the accident.
The injured who suffered broken limbs and soft tissue injuries are fighting for their lives at Gilgil Sub County Hospital and most are said to be in a be stable but in a critical condition.
According to the latest statistics from National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), a total of 4,432 road users died in accidents between January 1 and December 13, last year, marking a 3.77 per cent increase. The number of deaths rose by 161 people from 4, 271 in 2021 to 4,432.
During the same period, 9,315 people were seriously injured while 6,691 were slightly injured and the months of January and July recorded the highest fatalities with 433 and 487 respectively
By Mabel Keya – Shikuku
