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Six killed in Gilgil dawn road crash
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway has in recent months claimed dozens of lives.
Six people died on Saturday morning in a grisly road crash at Soysambu area in Gilgil, on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway.
The 3am accident involved a Nissan Wingroad and a bus belonging to the Promise Bus Company, according to the police.
Gilgil Sub-County Police Commander Winston Mwakio said the Nissan, which had six male occupants, was heading towards Nairobi when it rammed into the bus that was coming from the opposite direction.
He added that the driver of the Nissan was overtaking when it collided with the bus, which was being driven on the wrong lane, killing all six occupants on the spot.
“The Nissan was ferrying people from Kisumu. They all died. More than 30 passengers in the bus escaped unhurt. The bodies were moved to Gilgil Sub-County Hospital, where they were booked as unknown for preservation, awaiting identification and post-mortem,” Mr Mwakio said.
The sub-county police boss called on motorists to be cautious on the road as the festive season approaches.
“We have managed to clear the scene and the flow of traffic is back to normal. We call on motorists to exercise extra caution on the roads. They should not overtake carelessly or speed,” he said.
The Nairobi–Nakuru–Mau Summit highway, which is awaiting a multi-billion-shilling upgrade, has in recent months claimed dozens of lives and left injured.
The Gilgil–Kikopey–St. Mary’s–Mbaruk section of the highway is a major blackspot on the road.
Other dangerous sections include Ihindu, Raini, Mithuri, Kikopey, Soysambu, Weighbridge, Kinungi and Karai, where 40 people perished in 2017.
On September 29, some 14 members of the same family died in a horrific crash at Kariandusi near Kikopey when their matatu collided head-on with a truck. The accident involved three vehicles: a 14-seater matatu, a lorry and a Subaru Forester.
The matatu, which was heading to Nakuru, was overtaking other vehicles when it rammed into the lorry, killing 13 people on the spot. One other person died while being rushed to hospital.
The key highway connects the capital Nairobi to western Kenya, and also serves as a major route linking Kenya to the landlocked countries of Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.
