Several people have lost their lives, while others were left with serious injuries after an early morning crash along the Nairobi- Nakuru highway.
The accident, which took place at the Karai area in Naivasha on Monday, January 5, at around 2 am, occurred after a Greenline bus collided head-on with a Nanyuki Cabs shuttle.
Photos obtained by Kenyans.co.ke show the matatu’s front section completely crushed, while the understructure of the other bus was destroyed.
The traffic predictably caused a mild snarl-up on Monday morning, with motorists rushing to the crash scene to assist with rescue efforts before police and emergency responders arrived.
Confirming the incident, the Kenya Red Cross stated that the injured individuals were taken to Naivasha District Hospital for medical attention.
"A road traffic accident occurred at around 2:00 a.m. at Karai along the Nairobi–Nakuru Highway, involving a bus and a matatu," Kenya Red Cross.
"Several injured people were taken to Naivasha District Hospital as Kenya Red Cross and other emergency teams responded," it added.
At the time of publication of this article, preliminary reports indicated that nine people had lost their lives in the crash. Two of the deceased were minors.
The accident comes just two days after another accident along the same highway that claimed the lives of five people.
The crash, which happened on Saturday, January 3, at Kikopey, Gilgil, involved a Great Rift 14-seater matatu and a trailer, reportedly caused by brake failure on the truck.
According to the matatu’s driver, Shadrack Almasi, he was caught off guard when the vehicle was hit and crushed against another vehicle that was stationary, leading to the immediate death of five people.
Nakuru County Police Commander Emmanuel Opuru stressed the need for motorists to exercise caution along the highway, especially during this time when people are travelling back to the country's capital after the festive season.
“We have received the report of the incident, and we can confirm that we have dispatched teams and emergency units to respond to the incident,” he said.
