Eight people perished on Sunday in Kakamega County after a matatu they were travelling rammed a stationary truck near Musembe trading centre along the Webuye-Eldoret highway.
The victims are reported to have boarded the vehicle in Bungoma and were returning to Nairobi after the Christmas and New Year festivities.
The 5.25am crash happened on an open stretch of the road, a short distance from the trading centre.
The dead included seven adults and a one-year-old child. Four other passengers who were injured were rushed to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret for treatment.
The matatu was flung from the road and landed in a ditch. Its left side was ripped open by the impact of the crash.
Kakamega County Police Commander Hassan Barua said driver of the matatu failed to stop while approaching the truck which was parked along the road.
“The driver of the truck had parked it along the road after it developed mechanical problems. Another driver pulled up behind the stalled truck and went to find out what the problem was.
“But as he was walking towards the lorry, he heard a loud bang and saw the matatu being flung on the left side of the road. What happened is so sad,” said Mr Barua.
Mr Richard Kemei said he had woken up early and was going about his activities at the trading centre when he noticed the matatu speeding from behind the parked lorry.
“The matatu was approaching at a high speed and rammed the truck in a split second. There was a loud bang and the vehicle was flung into a ditch to the left side of the road,” said Mr Kemei.
The scene of the accident was littered with shattered glass and parts of the vehicles which had been ripped apart.
"We are yet to identify the dead but what we know is the driver of the shuttle matatu rammed the lorry from behind," said Mr Barua.
The police boss urged drivers to be cautious and avoid speeding while rushing to cash in on the desperation of travellers headed to their places of work after spending the festivities with their families in their rural homes.
“It’s so unfortunate that some drivers are more interested in making profits instead of taking care of the safety of the passengers. The accident was caused by speeding and careless driving," said Mr Barua
