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13 killed in Nakuru road crash
The wreckage of a 14-seater matatu that claimed thirteen lives in Kariandusi near Kikopey on Nakuru- Nairobi highway on September 28, 2025.
Thirteen people died on Sunday afternoon in a road accident at Kariandusi area near Kikopey, on the Nakuru–Nairobi highway.
The accident involved three vehicles: a 14-seater matatu, a lorry, and a Subaru Forester, according to police.
Gilgil Sub-County Police Commander Winston Mwakio, who confirmed the incident, said the 14-seater matatu — which was heading to Nakuru — was overtaking other vehicles when it rammed into the lorry, killing 12 people on the spot.
“One other person died while being rushed to hospital,” Mr Mwakio said.
“The twelve occupants of the matatu died on the spot,” he said.
The driver of the lorry sustained serious injuries, while five other people were rushed to various hospitals within Gilgil for treatment. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Gilgil Sub-County Mortuary for preservation, pending identification and post-mortem.
The accident caused a major traffic snarl-up on the busy road before police managed to clear the scene and restore normal flow.
“We have now reopened the road, but we call on motorists to exercise extra caution,” Mr Mwakio added.
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway, which is awaiting a multi-billion-shilling upgrade, has in recent months turned into a death trap, claiming dozens of lives and leaving many injured.
Scene of a road accident in Kariandusi on Nakuru-Nairobi highway where 13 people perished after a 14-seater matatu they had boarded collided head on with a truck on September 28, 2025.
The Gilgil–Kikopey–St Mary’s–Mbaruk stretch is among several blackspots along the road. Other notorious sections include Ihindu, Raini, Mithuri, Kikopey, Soysambu, Weighbridge, Kinungi, and Karai — where 40 people perished in 2017.
The highway is a key corridor connecting Nairobi to western Kenya and also to landlocked countries, including Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Burundi.
The National Transport and Safety Authority and traffic police have come under public scrutiny over the rising number of fatal accidents along the route.
