Lives Lost, Several Injured on Kisumu- Nairobi Highway

A horrific road accident has claimed the lives of more than 10 people and left 53 others injured on Monday, January 29, 2024. The accident involved a Super Metro bus and a lorry loaded with sugar on the Kisumu-Nairobi highway, near Ahero town.

According to the police, the accident occurred around 6 a.m. when the bus driver lost control and hit the lorry head-on

According to Nyanza Regional Traffic Enforcement Officer, Allan Mwangi, the bus was heading to Nairobi from Kampala, Uganda, when it collided head-on with the lorry, which was coming from the opposite direction. The bus driver was reportedly trying to overtake another vehicle when he lost control and hit the lorry.

The impact of the collision was so severe that both vehicles were extensively damaged and some of the victims were trapped inside.

Emergency responders arrived at the scene and rescued the survivors, who were taken to the Ahero Sub-County Hospital and the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.

The hospital authorities said that most of the injured suffered from fractures, cuts, and bruises, and some were in critical condition. The dead included two women, eight men, and a teenage boy. The police identified the bus driver and the lorry driver as among the fatalities.

The police cordoned off the scene and diverted the traffic to alternative routes as they conducted investigations to establish the exact cause of the accident. The police also said that they will inspect the roadworthiness of the vehicles involved and check the driving records of the drivers.

The owners of the bus and the lorry have expressed their condolences and promised to cooperate with the authorities and compensate the victims and their families.

The road accident near Ahero has raised concerns about the safety and regulation of public transport in the region, especially along the busy Kisumu-Nairobi highway, which has witnessed several fatal crashes in the past.

The local authorities are urging drivers and passengers to follow the traffic rules and exercise caution on the road, especially in the wake of the recent road accidents that have claimed many lives.

They have also announced that they will conduct a safety audit and inspection of all the buses and lorries operating in the area.

The public is also warned against flocking to the scenes of the accidents, as this may hamper recovery efforts, and expose them to danger.

According to some reports, some people have been taking advantage of the chaotic situations to loot the belongings of the victims, or to sell them.