NAIROBI, Kenya — The death toll from Saturday evening’s grisly road accident near Dedan Kimathi University of Technology has risen to 15, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has confirmed, in one of the deadliest crashes in the region in recent months.
In an update issued late Saturday, Kahiga said the latest figure includes a victim who had been trapped under the wreckage of the lorry and was later retrieved and moved to the mortuary.
Majority died on the spot
According to the governor, the victims died at the scene of the accident, which involved a Nissan matatu and a lorry transporting firewood.
Authorities also suspect that a motorbike may have been caught up in the crash.
“It is sad that the passengers in the Nissan were trapped inside and all efforts to save all fourteen were futile,” Kahiga said.
He added that two critically injured victims from the matatu, alongside the lorry driver and his turnboy, were rushed to Nyeri County Referral Hospital, but some later succumbed to their injuries, pushing the death toll higher.
Casualties and survivors
Of the 15 fatalities, 10 are male and five female, among them a child, underscoring the devastating human toll of the crash.
Seven survivors are currently receiving treatment.
Six are admitted at Nyeri Provincial General Hospital (PGH), where one is on oxygen support while the other five are reported to be in stable condition. Another victim is being treated at Mathari Hospital.
Rescue efforts
Emergency response teams from the county government, police officers and three ambulances were dispatched to the scene shortly after the crash.
Kahiga commended the swift response by the county’s Disaster Rescue Management Unit, noting that the operation was particularly difficult due to the extent of the damage.
“The passengers in the Nissan were trapped inside,” he said, describing the rescue effort as complex and ultimately unable to save many of those on board.
Warning over road conditions
The governor linked the accident to deteriorating road conditions worsened by ongoing rains, which have left sections of roads damaged and riddled with potholes.
“I urge drivers to be extra cautious now that the rains have damaged parts of our roads and left gaping potholes,” he warned.
Rising safety concerns
The Nyeri–Nyahururu road, particularly around the university area, has long been flagged by residents as a high-risk stretch due to heavy traffic and frequent movement of commercial trucks.
Saturday’s crash now adds to growing concern over road safety in Kenya, as authorities continue investigations into the exact cause of the collision.
Kahiga extended condolences to the affected families, describing the incident as a tragic loss for the county.
“Once again, our condolences to these families,” he said.
