Six killed, five hurt in matatu crash
Lucy Nyakanini, a victim of the accident involving a matatu and a mini-lorry at Kinungi on the Naivasha-Nairobi highway speaks to the Nation at Kijabe Mission Hospital. She was the only victim of the 14-seater matatu who could speak about the accident. The others were critically hurt. Six people died in the Friday morning accident. PHOTO/ANTHONY OMUYA.
What you need to know:
- Ms Nyakanini was the only victim of the 14-seater matatu who could speak about the accident. The others were critically hurt.
- It was only a few kilometres to my destination. I saw everything. It was so traumatic. I was sitting behind the driver.
It was a dark Easter for Lucy Nyakanini, 43, a mother of eight who was involved in a road accident Friday which killed six people at Kinungi on the Nairobi-Naivasha Highway. Five others were injured.
Ms Nyakanini was the only victim of the 14-seater matatu who could speak about the accident. The others were critically hurt.
Speaking at the AIC Kijabe Mission Hospital while nursing a minor injury on her forehead, she said: “I was travelling from my farm in Nyahururu to our home at Flyover area.
It was only a few kilometres to my destination. I saw everything. It was so traumatic. I was sitting behind the driver.
‘‘I saw him try to overtake another matatu, an oncoming lorry hit our vehicle on the side.
It tore open the matatu and dragged everyone sitting on the driver’s side from the front to their deaths in the rear,” she said.
“I alighted from the matatu and stepped over the body of a boy who a few minutes earlier had been playing. His body had been sliced into two,” she added.
At the hospital’s Accident and Emergency, a woman survivor lay on a bed with air, blood and heartbeat machines attached to her body. She was sedated to ease her pain.
Next to her was a seven-year-old boy who shouted in pain when the doctor tried to touch him.
DEEP PAIN
Nursing officer James Momanyi said the boy had no visible injuries but was in deep pain.
“We suspect a chest injury but we will conduct further tests to ascertain the extent of his injuries. We suspect the woman has a spinal or neck injury but more tests and X-rays will give us more information,” said Mr Momanyi.
He added that the matatu driver was in surgery because he had open chest injuries.
“The hospital received five people, two were treated and discharged and three others, including the driver are still are still being treated.
The matatu was towed to the Naivasha Police Station, while the lorry, which was slightly damaged was left by the roadside.
The AIC Kijabe Hospital Accident and Emergency Unit was a buzz with activity as another survivor of a road accident involving a motorcycle and a saloon car on the Mai-mahiu road was brought in.
Paul Ng’ethe, 42, was hit by a saloon car while riding his motorcycle at Muniu area along the Mai-Mahiu to Naivasha road.
Nursing sister Hannah Kaberere, said Mr Ng’ethe had serious head injuries and would be taken for skull scans at the MP Shah hospital in Nairobi.
