At least 52 people were killed in a road accident in western Kenya on Friday night, Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen announced on Saturday, as rescue teams resumed the search.
The accident, one of the worst in Kenya for several years, occurred when a truck lost control and collided with several other vehicles at a busy junction, according to local police.
“Unfortunately, we have lost 52 people in an accident here in Londiani,” Murkomen told reporters at the scene of the accident, which occurred on a highway between Nakuru and Kericho.
“The search has resumed and we want to recover two bodies from the rubble. We don’t know if there are more,” said Abdi Hassan, the Rift Valley regional commissioner. According to him, more than 30 people were also injured.
As of Friday afternoon, authorities had put the death toll at at least 48. The fate of the truck driver was unknown.
On Twitter, Kenyan President William Ruto offered his condolences to the families of the victims. “It is distressing to see that some of the deceased are young people with bright futures and businessmen going about their daily business,” he said.
“My heart is broken,” was the reaction on Facebook from Kericho County Governor Erick Mutai, who spoke of “a dark time for the people of Kericho, a mountainous region known for its vast tea plantations.”
On social networks, messages showing a candle next to the name “Londiani” multiplied.
The collision occurred on Friday around 6:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. GMT). The truck, which was headed for Kericho, “lost control and struck eight vehicles, several motorcycles, people on the shoulder and others busy with other things,” said Tom Mboya Odero, Rift Valley regional police commander.
The Kenyan Red Cross, which sent ambulances and rescue personnel, said Friday night that heavy rain was hampering rescue operations. Several local televisions showed images of destroyed vehicles.
“The truck was going at full speed and was honking its horn,” said a witness to the accident, Maureen Jepkoech. “He tried to dodge several vehicles before ending up in the middle of the market.” “I’ve heard that the vehicle ran out of brakes. But I don’t know if that was the case,” she added.
“The accident happened in an instant,” said another witness, Joel Rotich. “Many did not have time to escape,” he said.
The number of people killed in road accidents in Kenya has risen in recent years, according to government data. In 2022, 4,690 people died in these events.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
