Fifteen people died in a road accident at Chebarus area of Nandi Hills town yesterday. Six sustained serious in- juries when the matatu plunged down a cliff at around 8am. Five of them were members of one family. They boarded the matatu at Langas estate in Eldoret town. They were travelling to their rural home at oyugis in Rachwonyo subcounty. The vehicle belonging to Citizen Road Service plunged down the cliff, killing the driver and the conductor as well. The matatu was headed to Kisii. Nandi east police boss Patrick Macharia said the matatu was speeding and overloaded. It lost control at a corner near Chepsangor village.
Fourteen passengers died instantly while one succumbed to injuries at Nandi Hills district Hospital. Residents and volunteers from Kenya Red Cross assisted the police to retrieve the bodies. The bodies of 12 men and three women were taken to Nandi Hills district Hospital.
Macharia expressed shock at the accident. He said the driver may have failed to slow down at the sharp corner. Macharia was with Nandi deputy Governor Dominic Biwott. He said the corner is a sharp corner. "Drivers must exercise caution while driving," Biwott said.
Salgaa, located on the Nakuru-Eldoret road is one of the country’s black spots, with many road accidents occurring there.
Several accidents have occurred at the spot, the latest being on Saturday night when 12 members of the same family perished on their way back from a dowry-paying event.
“We are stressing the need to observe road safety regulations. That is what we are doing here at Salgaa,” Kimaru said. “Witnesses have told our officers that the (Kisii-bound) matatu was going down the hill at dangerously high speed.”
Biwott said a month ago, He said the road lacks signs and side barriers. "We appeal to the Kenya National Highways Highways Authority to put up road signs," Biwott said.
It was not immediately clear if the dead included people outside of the matatu.
Kenya’s road safety record is one of the worst with 3,200 people having been killed in road accidents in the country last year according to statistics from Traffic Police headquarters.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau has assured Kenyans he is determined to minimise road accident fatalities after initiating various measures – including the use of alcoblow – which aid police to identify and prosecute drunk drivers, both during the day and at night.
The government also imposed strict guidelines for night travel which many transport operators have failed to meet.
Wednesday 12 March 2014
http://allafrica.com/stories/201403120310.html
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2014/03/at-least-10-people-killed-in-nandi-hills-crash/
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