Tragedy struck as a bus carrying students from one of Kenya’s prestigious universities collided with a truck amidst heavy rainfall, resulting in the loss of 11 lives and leaving 42 others with severe injuries, authorities reported.
The incident unfolded at 5:50 pm (1450 GMT) on Monday, near Maungu, approximately 360 kilometers (220 miles) away from Nairobi, the capital city. The students, who were from Kenyatta University, were en route to the coastal town of Mombasa.
According to police reports, the bus, with 58 individuals aboard on an academic excursion, lost control while attempting to overtake a line of vehicles due to the adverse weather conditions. This caused the bus to skid off to the right side of the road. In an attempt to avoid a head-on collision, the truck veered to the left, ultimately colliding with the university bus.
Tragically, ten individuals succumbed to their injuries at the scene, while another victim passed away later in the hospital. The injured were swiftly transported to a medical facility in the nearby town of Voi for urgent treatment, as confirmed by the Kenyan Red Cross.
Expressing profound sorrow over the incident, Kenyatta University issued a statement on Tuesday, announcing the establishment of a support center at its main campus to extend assistance to those affected by the tragedy.
The university also mentioned the ongoing evaluation of injured students for potential evacuation to Nairobi.
The unfortunate accident adds to a grim tally of road incidents in Kenya, a nation plagued by poor road conditions and rampant disregard for traffic regulations.
Statistics from the National Transport and Safety Authority reveal that in 2023 alone, 4,324 lives were lost, with 18,561 individuals sustaining injuries in road accidents—a figure marginally lower than the previous year’s.
However, the onset of 2024 has witnessed a surge in fatalities, with 536 reported deaths between January 1 and February 11, marking a five-percent increase compared to the corresponding period in the preceding year.
This devastating trend underscores the urgent need for comprehensive measures to enhance road safety across Kenya. In recent weeks, several other tragic incidents have underscored the gravity of the situation, including a fatal collision between a van and a tractor in western Kenya, claiming five lives, and a separate accident involving a school bus, resulting in the deaths of a student and a teacher.
