Six dead, 26 injured in tragic Narok road crash involving school bus and matatu

Six people have lost their lives in two separate road accidents in Narok County.

In one of the accidents at Olonin Bridge on the Narok-Bomet road, five people were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in collided head-on with a school bus.

The accident, which occurred at 6 pm on Saturday, December 14, involved a 14-seater matatu and a bus belonging to Mesabisabi Secondary School in Kisii County.

Police say at least 26 passengers were injured in the collision and are being treated at Ololulunga Hospital.

"The matatu belonging to Narok Line Service Sacco was ferrying passengers from Bomet to Narok. When it reached the bridge, it collided with the school bus that was overtaking other vehicles," said Narok police boss Rico Ngare.

"Three people, all passengers in the matatu, died on the spot and many others were injured in the accident. The injured were rushed to Ololulunga Sub-County Hospital where two women and a girl succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment".

Of the 26 casualties being treated at Ololulunga and Narok referral hospitals, 16 are in critical condition.

The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Narok Referral Hospital mortuary for preservation, while the vehicles were towed to Narok Police Station.

The second accident, which claimed one life, occurred early Saturday in Tegero area on the Narok-Bomet road, about eight kilometres from Ololulunga Police Station. 

A Toyota car and an Easy Coach bus collided head-on, resulting in the death of a female passenger in the ill-fated car.

Three other occupants of the car sustained minor injuries in the accident.

However, none of the 34 passengers on board the Easy Coach bus were injured.

Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Abdi Hassan urged motorists to observe road safety rules as the festive season begins.

He said more traffic police officers would be deployed to man major roads and highways in the region.

"I urge all drivers and road users to be extra vigilant during the festive season. Every life on our roads counts and must be protected at all costs," said Dr Hassan.

The administrator noted that the festive season brings with it an increased number of travellers and public service vehicles take advantage of this to overload and speed to increase their profits, but also endanger lives in the process.

"We will ensure that police conduct thorough checks on major roads, including the busy Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway, to apprehend errant motorists. Motorists must desist from speeding and careless driving that is common during the festive season," said Dr Hassan.

He directed traffic police to ensure full and impartial enforcement of traffic rules and regulations to prevent unnecessary loss of lives.

The administrator also called on travellers to avoid boarding vehicles that are already full and instead assist the police in identifying traffic violators to avoid road carnage.

The latest deaths add to the growing statistics of road carnage, with 2024 set to be one of the bloodiest years on Kenya's roads.

Data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) shows that a total of 7,114 road accidents were recorded by the end of August.

This is an increase from the 6,411 accidents recorded during the same period in 2023. 

According to the NTSA, the accidents involved 15,651 people, resulting in 3,056 deaths and 12,586 injuries.

The figures are expected to rise further when the agency releases statistics for the final quarter of 2024.