The driver of the lorry that was involved in a tragic road accident in which six people lost their lives on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway has said he was trying to avoid ramming into another vehicle full of passengers when the crash occurred.
Mr James Mbugua, 53, narrated how he tried to avoid a shuttle ahead of him before he lost control of the lorry on Wednesday evening.
He was heading home, in Nairobi, after delivering goods in Nakuru town. He was driving behind a matatu from Nakuru, and had reached Barnabas area, when a light shower started. The rain, he said, had clouded his view of the road, so he marked the vehicle in front of him.
However, upon reaching Shiners Boys area, Mr Mbugua said, the shuttle made a sudden stop, forcing him to apply emergency brakes, which saw the lorry skid out of its lane and towards oncoming traffic.
“I fell unconscious for some few minutes and when I regained consciousness I found myself trapped in the wreckage of the lorry, which had collided with a North Rift shuttle. It was a horrific scene,” he said.
Mr Mbugua, who is now recuperating at the Nakuru Level Five hospital, said he was rescued by passers-by who arrived at the scene after the crash. He suffered a fracture on the right leg and bruises all over the body.
The driver, who is yet to come to terms with the events of that day sent his condolences to the families of the people who perished in the accident.
“As I thank God for saving my life, I also wish to send my condolences to the families that lost their loved ones in the accident,” said Mr Mbugua.
The accident, which occurred a few minutes to 7pm, saw three other people injured.
Nakuru County Police commander Beatrice Kiraguri said the driver of the shuttle and five passengers are among those who lost their lives.
“The shuttle, which was heading to Nakuru, had eight people on board, out of which two escaped with serious injuries. The driver of the FH lorry also suffered serious injuries,” said Ms Kiraguri.
The families of the accident victims flocked the Nakuru County Mortuary to identify the bodies. Among those who arrived are relatives of the personal assistant of Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, Abel Kachu, who was heading to Webuye for a family function that was scheduled for Saturday.
Mr Malala, in a condolence message posted on his Twitter account, expressed shock after learning of the death of his aide. He mourned him as a close friend who was committed to his work.
“He was not only a resource, but also a dedicated team player who always gave his best on matters of legislation, oversight, resource allocation and representation of the people. On behalf of Kakamega County, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and relatives as we come to terms with his untimely demise,” stated Senator Malala.
Deputy President William Ruto also tweeted his condolences, describing Kachu as a brilliant, amiable and industrious man who rose above politics.
“Kachu was politically savvy and keen to change the lives of his people in Bungoma. We will miss his stamina for knowledge and orientation to detail,” read part of the tweet by the DP.
Two survivors of the accident are at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital in critical condition. The hospital nursing officer in charge, Dr Joseph Ndung’u, said the two are in a stable condition.
The accident comes as statistics from the National Transport and Safety Authority show that the number of accidents this year increased as compared to last year.
The death toll for the first five months of 2021 is 17,360. This preliminary estimate is up 20 per cent compared to 2020 and up 16 per cent compared to 2019.
Motor-vehicle deaths in May 2021 were 4,050. This number is up 21 per cent from May 2020, and up 19 per cent compared to the same month in 2019.
