Seven die, several injured in Nairobi-Mombasa highway crash
Police officers and members of the public at the scene of a road crash involving a PSV and a truck at Miasenyi area along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway in Taita Taveta County on December 07, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Casualties were rushed to the Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi for treatment.
- One of the survivors recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the crash.
Seven people died and 11 others sustained serious injuries on Sunday morning after a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) shuttle they were travelling in collided head-on with a truck at Miasenyi area along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway in Taita Taveta County.
The 16-seater vehicle was travelling from Wote to Mombasa when the crash occurred around 5am. Casualties were rushed to the Moi County Referral Hospital in Voi for treatment.
The hospital's senior medical officer Dr Swaleh Khamis confirmed that of the 11 survivors, seven were referred to other facilities for specialised treatment. He said most of the patients had sustained multiple fractures and were stable but required further management.
“We received 11 casualties from the road traffic accident. Unfortunately, seven people were pronounced dead on arrival. Four of them are male and three are female. Their identities are yet to be confirmed,” Dr Khamis said.
He said the hospital has also discharged two patients and admitted one male patient for observation.
"A child with minor injuries was treated and is under review,” Dr Khamis said.
He said the hospital expects a surge in patients injured in road accidents during the festive season.
“We are doing our best to prepare for the festive season, and we are putting measures in place to handle more casualties if necessary,” he said.
Prevent loss of lives
A passenger said some casualties were trapped inside the matatu for several minutes before help arrived. One of the survivors, Ms Agnes Mutunga, recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the crash.
She had boarded the vehicle in Wote around 8pm on Saturday, hoping to reach Mombasa by dawn.
“We had travelled through the night. I was half asleep when I felt a sudden jolt and then a loud bang. I found myself injured. I could not talk or move. I thank God I am alive,” she said.
Ms Mutunga, who sustained an eye injury and a broken leg, said the matatu was attempting to overtake another vehicle when it collided with the oncoming truck.
“I was scared because the driver was overtaking vehicles but eventually I fell asleep and I was woken up by the accident,” she said.
At the hospital's mortuary, families of the deceased were yet to arrive to identify the bodies of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has said Kinatwa Sacco, whose matatu was involved in the crash, is fully cooperating with the authority and all relevant agencies as comprehensive investigations into the cause of the crash commenced.
“We have immediately deployed a team of road safety auditors and inspectors to the scene to conduct a detailed analysis. We call on all public service, commercial and private vehicle drivers to exercise maximum caution on our roads," NTSA said in a statement.
"Drive safely by adhering to speed limits, overtaking responsibly, taking breaks when fatigued, and remaining fully alert at all times. Let us all commit to safer driving now and throughout the festive season to prevent further loss of lives,” the authority said.
