Seven die after matatus collide on Mombasa-Malindi highway

Seven people, among them a two-year-old boy, died Saturday evening in a grisly accident near Mavueni trading centre along the Mombasa-Malindi highway. The victims, two women, three men and two children perished at an accident black spot, a few meters away from Mavueni trading centre when two 14-seater matatus travelling on the opposite directions collided head on.

Among the victims was a man and his two-year-old boy who were returning to Mtwapa after the man had taken his wife to deliver at the Kilifi County hospital.

As Kilifi residents continued to come to terms with the accident, some of the survivors talked of how they cheated death in the fatal accident.

Albert Ngumbao from Vitengeni said he was heading to Kilifi from Mombasa when the accident occurred.

“We noticed that the driver was not stable on the road and was very rough.

Moments after we passed Mbogolo bridge, and near Mavueni, he veered off the road and went to the other lane. There was a big bang I then found myself on the ground,” said Ngumbao.

He sustained chest pains and a cut on his mouth.

TRIED TO OVERTAKE

Another witness, Stanley Chiro, whose three relatives were involved in the accident said one of the drivers who was traveling from Mombasa to Kilifi veered off the road after trying to overtake more than two vehicles.

“After going out of his lane, he pushed back the vehicle to the road and that is when he was involved in a head-on collision with a matatu which was going to Mombasa,” said Mr Chiro.

Speaking after visiting the injured at the Kilifi County Hospital, Kilifi County Commissioner Joseph Keter said that he would ask for speed guns from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to help in reducing accidents along the highway.

“We are working in partnership with NTSA to make sure there is availability of speed guns that will be handled by our officers along the road because of the carnage that has been witnessed especially on the stretch between Kijipwa and Kilifi,” said Mr Keter.

He said police will also investigate Bambu Investment Sacco and its drivers for having been involved in many accidents.

“We want to know why drivers from this sacco are reckless. A number of accidents happening in the region have been caused by their drivers,” said Keter.

Kilifi OCPD Alexander Makau confirmed that five people died on the spot while two more succumbed to injuries at the county hospital.