The wreckage of a matatu involved in an accident. Between January 1 and December 20, 2023, some 4,139 people were killed in road accidents, according to the NTSA.
Jane Karambu and her daughter Petra Kanario remember the events of the Nithi Bridge on the Embu-Meru highway on January 7, 1998, like it was yesterday.
The teacher and her daughter had boarded a Stage Coach bus that claimed more than 56 lives when it plunged into River Nithi.
Ms Kanario, now 31 years old, was celebrating her fifth birthday, and the trip was a treat.
Mother and daughter were among the thousands of survivors of road crashes who joined the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to mark the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR) on Sunday.
According to NTSA, more than 10,000 Kenyans suffer serious injuries on roads every year.
NTSA officials led the public in lighting candles, with the main event being in Tharaka Nithi County.
Ms Karambu suffered multiple fractures, which left her with permanent disabilities. She is now a high school principal.
“My right hand lost its power and I had to learn to use the left one. Despite my condition, I worked hard to win the Teacher of the Year Award in the Eastern Region,” she said.
Kanairo had minor injuries but still suffers pain in her left leg.
“I was singing a song we learnt at Sunday school when the accident happened. It still rings in my mind. I was shocked to learn later that 56 people died,” she said. Ms Kanario and her mother are still traumatised.
“After the accident that killed 12 people at the same spot in August, I couldn’t sleep for a week. I had nightmares whenever I slept,” Ms Karambu said.
“I’m scared every time I am at that spot. I developed the phobia because of that accident.”
Road carnage
NTSA says road crashes have claimed at least 4,047 lives from the beginning of the year, an increase of 321 compared to the same period in 2023.
The number of accidents has also risen from 19,262 to 20,369, with motorcyclists, pillion passengers and pedestrians accounting for the majority.
Life-changing horror
Bright Aywaya’s life was shattered in a road crash that confined her to a wheelchair 26 years ago.
Her spine was injured and her intestines ruptured. Ms Aywaya said she had buckled up at the back of the car when the crash happened.
“Our driver was observing speed and the vehicle was in good condition,” she said.
Another vehicle overtaking a lorry hit ours. I didn’t know what happened after that.”
She regained consciousness hours later. Ms Aywaya was in Voi on her way to Malindi when the collision occurred.
Ms Irene Kagendo told other survivors that she was on her way to Kiambapo when the matatu she was in collided with a lorry.
“As our matatu was overtaking another vehicle at Tonku bridge, it collided with the truck. The driver and many of the passengers died on the spot,” she said, adding that she lost several friends.
“I’m always sick. My prayer is for all drivers to be sober while on the road. We later came to realise that our driver was on drugs.”
Permanent 'scar'
Ms Anne Njoki, 54, said she now depends on her two children to settle her medical bills since an accident shattered her life 13 years ago.
Ms Njoki now depends on a caregiver for domestic chores. She cannot go to the washroom or take a shower without help.
She was involved in an accident on the Kitale-Eldoret road as she headed home from work on September 5, 2011. The matatu she was travelling in collided head-on with a saloon in Moi’s Bridge.
“I boarded the matatu around 5pm after completing my errands. Later, I found myself at Kitale District Hospital,” she said.
Ms Njoki’s pelvic bone and right leg were broken. She was moved to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital where she remained for months.
Several surgeries later, she was bedridden for six months. She told the gathering that despite being registered with the National Disability Council, she gets little support.
The day is marked on the third Sunday of every November.
NTSA Board Chairperson Manoj Shah said Kenyans should remember those who died or were left with injuries arising from crashes.
“We are also called to support families that have to deal with the loss of their breadwinners or have to deal with huge medical bills,” Dr Shah said.
“We are called to action...first by being careful on our roads and champions of safety and supporting those carrying the burden resulting from crashes.”
He urged road users to be vigilant as the festive season approaches and with the rainfall being witnessed in many parts of the country.
“Roads have claimed many lives from the beginning of the year. We can reverse this trend with collective responsibility,” Dr Shah said.
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims puts justice in the spotlight, according to UN report.
"Enforcement of traffic laws, thorough investigation after a crash to determine whether a crime has been committed are necessary,” the report says.
“There should be criminal prosecution. Appropriate and civil compensation are part of the justice system.”
The report says the day should provide a platform for road traffic victims and their families to remember those killed and injured on the roads.
It also helps in recognising the important work of emergency services, drawing attention to the generally trivial legal response to road deaths and injuries and advocating for better support for road victims and their families.
Reports by David Muchui, Hillary Kimuyu, Pius Maundu and Victor Raballa.
