NAIROBI, Kenya- President William Ruto has directed authorities to conduct thorough inspections of public service vehicles (PSVs) after a fatal crash at Kanga near Mtito Andei on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.
In a condolence message, Ruto said 22 people had died in the Sunday, October 25 crash and wished those injured a quick recovery.
He urged all drivers, particularly PSV operators, to exercise caution and obey traffic rules.
The reported death toll has varied.
Ruto said relevant authorities should ensure PSVs are thoroughly inspected to confirm they meet safety standards.
Oburu expressed sorrow over the deaths, saying his thoughts and condolences were with the victims’ families, friends and communities.
He described the crash as a national tragedy and said he stood with those mourning.
What is known about the crash
The collision happened at about 7 am at Kanga, on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway in Makueni County.
A bus carrying passengers towards Mombasa collided head-on with a lorry.
The passengers were reportedly returning from a burial ceremony in western Kenya.
Makueni County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif told Y News that the bus driver had attempted to overtake several vehicles before the collision.
The exact sequence of events is still under investigation.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) said preliminary information indicated that the vehicles collided head-on and that improper overtaking may have contributed.
The authority said it was working with police to establish the circumstances of the crash.
those killed in the reports available at the time of writing.
Renewed attention on highway safety
The Kanga crash has renewed concern about safety on one of Kenya’s main transport routes, which carries buses, private cars and heavy commercial vehicles between Nairobi and the Coast.
The accident occurred less than a month after a separate crash near Salama on the same highway killed 17 people, most of them pilgrims travelling to a prayer event.
The NTSA has identified the Kanga stretch as an accident black spot.
The authority has said recommendations were made to address safety concerns in the area.
An accident black spot is a section of road where crashes occur repeatedly or are considered especially likely.
