Ms Jane Wanjiru was already grieving the loss of her sister when another tragedy struck her family early on Friday morning.
Her 68-year-old brother Habel Mureu and his 32-year-old son Stephen Njau (Wanjiru’s nephew) were among the 14 people who perished in a grisly accident at the Migaa blackspot on the Eldoret-Nakuru highway Friday morning, barely months after another crash on the same stretch claimed 15 lives last August.
“I was expecting my brother on Thursday during the day, but I don’t know why he opted to travel at night. His wife called me Thursday evening to inform me that he was on the way from Kitale to Nairobi,” she told Nation.Africa.
The container of the truck carrying bags of coffee for export that rammed an 11-seater Kitale Shuttle killing all the passengers on board at Migaa on the Eldoret-Nakuru Highway on March 14, 2025.
Photo credit: John Njoroge | Nation Media Group
Ms Wanjiru had arranged for her daughter who lives in Nairobi to pick the two at 4am and thereafter proceed to Kiambu, where the burial plans for their sister were ongoing.
But on Friday morning, there was no word from her brother.
“I called our sister's home in Kiambu to confirm if he had arrived as expected. When they said he hadn’t, we started to worry. Then we heard about the morning accident, although at that time, we weren’t sure whether he was among the victims,” Ms Wanjiru said at Molo Sub County Hospital mortuary after identifying the bodies.
The crash happened around 3am when the driver if a truck transporting bags of coffee for export lost control of the vehicle and veered off the road before ramming into the Kitale Shuttle 11-seater matatu from behind.
A man inspects the wreckage of the 11-seater matatu that was involved in a road crash killing all the passengers on board at Migaa on the Eldoret-Nakuru Highway on March 14, 2025.
Photo credit: John Njoroge | Nation Media Group
Molo Sub-County Police Commander Timon Odingo confirmed the accident saying eight men, five women and a minor perished in the crash.
“The truck which was transporting bags of coffee for export hit the road barriers and veered off course. In the process, the container rammed into an 11-seater matatu, killing all passengers on board,” said Mr Odingo.
He added that the container rolled several times before coming to rest in a ditch a few meters from the scene.
Mr Odingo said all occupants of the shuttle died on the spot. Among the dead was the truck driver and a passenger in the lorry. He noted that the retrieval operation, led by the Kenya Red Cross and other agencies, recovered body parts scattered at the scene.
Police officers at the scene of the road crash involving an 11-seater Kitale Shuttle and a truck at Migaa on the Eldoret-Nakuru Highway on March 14, 2025.
Photo credit: John Njoroge | Nation Media Group
He urged motorists to exercise caution, particularly along the stretch and called on the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to erect blackspot warning signs to alert nighttime travelers.
KeNHA Corridor B Director Engineer Kibet Tergin said they plan to conduct civic education for motorists on the proper use of runaway lanes.
According to Engineer Kibet, KeNHA cannot construct a runaway lane at the Migaa blackspot due to its proximity to residential areas. Instead, he said educating drivers on the existing runaway lanes would help improve safety.
“The driver of the lorry could have bypassed the existing runaway lane, either he didn’t see it or was on the inner lane. The lorry driver hooted to warn the matatu driver, but he ignored it and instead slowed down. Civic education will be crucial in helping motorists understand road signals and how to use runaway lanes effectively,” said Engineer Kibet.
Following Friday's road crash area residents expressed grief and frustration over the recurring tragedies at the blackspot.
The scene of the road crash involving an 11-seater Kitale Shuttle and a truck at Migaa on the Eldoret-Nakuru Highway on March 14, 2025.
Photo credit: John Njoroge | Nation Media Group
“It is heartbreaking that no one survived. We have repeatedly asked KeNHA to secure this ditch, which has claimed so many lives. We also urge the government to fast-track the construction of the Lironi-Mau Summit road to prevent further loss of life,” said Rachel Maru, a resident.
The wreckage of the mangled vehicles was towed to Molo Police Station, while the bodies were moved to the Molo Sub-County Hospital mortuary.
Red Cross county coordinator Elizabeth Achieng said six families had by 4.30pm Friday identified their families after counselling from the Red Cross team.
