At least ten people have been confirmed dead following a horrific road accident that occurred in the early hours of Monday at Karai area along the Nairobi–Nakuru highway in Naivasha Sub-County.
The crash happened at around 1.00am when a Nairobi-bound Greenline bus travelling from Kimilili in Bungoma County collided head-on with a Nakuru-bound Nanyuki Cabs shuttle.
According to police, nine people died on the spot—eight passengers who were travelling in the shuttle and a small child who was aboard the Greenline bus. By Monday morning, the death toll had risen to ten, while five other victims were in critical condition.
A total of 35 injured passengers, among them five children, were rushed to Naivasha Sub-County Referral Hospital for treatment.
The tragic accident occurred at the same stretch of road where former Lugari Member of Parliament Cyrus Jirongo lost his life in a separate road crash weeks ago, once again drawing attention to the dangers associated with the Karai section of the highway.
Confirming the incident, Naivasha Sub-County Police Commander Wilson Sigei said preliminary findings indicate that the bus driver was overtaking when the collision occurred.
“The bus driver was overtaking when he encountered a saloon car on the highway. We are closely monitoring this stretch because most drivers tend to overspeed here,” Sigei said.
However, eyewitnesses gave a different account, claiming that a saloon car emerging from Eagol Petrol Station suddenly joined the highway, forcing the speeding bus driver to swerve, leading to the deadly head-on collision.
Passengers aboard the Greenline bus alleged that the driver appeared drowsy from Nakuru, raising concerns about his ability to safely control the vehicle. They claimed his driving was questionable, prompting two conductors to sit with him in an effort to keep him alert during the night journey.
Authorities have launched investigations to establish the exact cause of the accident as calls grow for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, especially along major highways at night.
Meanwhile, members of the public have been advised to check on their family members and relatives who were travelling to Nairobi from Kimilili, Bungoma County, aboard the Greenline bus, as hospitals continue to receive and identify victims.
The Nairobi–Nakuru highway remains one of Kenya’s deadliest roads, with accidents frequently linked to speeding, reckless overtaking, driver fatigue, and poor visibility.
