At least 30 students from South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) in Kitui sustained multiple injuries on Sunday after a bus that was taking them to Kwa Vonza market for shopping lost control and rolled several times.
The Mwende Safaris matatu belonging to Namak Sacco rolled near the Kenyatta University campus gate with the occupants screaming for help.
The cries attracted their colleagues from Kenyatta University Kitui campus who rushed to the scene and aided their rescue from the wreckage.
The injured were taken to Mwingi Sub-county Hospital and Kitui Level IV with the help of Red Cross, EMS, Kenyatta University and SEKU ambulances and were all confirmed to be in a stable condition.
Kenya Redcross, through its Twitter handle, confirmed having dispatched emergency services to the scene.
Area police blamed the incident on overloading saying the bus had exceeded its capacity of 46 passengers.
The driver of the bus recorded a statement at Kwa Vonza police station informing the police that the accident was as a result of a mechanical hitch and that the vehicle’s brakes failed as he negotiated a corner near Kwa Vonza.
An area resident Timothy Wambua appealed to authorities to take action against the bus explaining that some of the vehicles operating in the area were unroadworthy.
"The students at the end of last semester in March protested seriously against these public service vehicles and the administration cast a blind eye to their complaints even going to an extent of expelling some of them for incitement," Wambua recalled.
One of the injured students was Wambua's nephew.
