A police vehicle on Sunday morning, April 9, plunged into river Rupingazi along the Meru-Embu Highway after hitting a boda boda rider.
While confirming the accident, Mwea-East police commander Daniel Kitavi detailed that the Administration Police (AP) vehicle was en route to Kanyonyo AP training centre in Kitui before encountering a boda boda rider whose motorcycle had developed mechanical problems.
The driver of the police lorry tried to swerve to avoid hitting the rider and ended up plunging into the river. Witnesses and curious on-lookers gathered at the scene while still reeling from the events that had unfolded.
According to Kitavi, traffic officers were dispatched to the site and arrived on time to assist in saving the officers from the river.
Five people including four officers and the boda boda operator were rushed to Embu Level Five Hospital for medical attention.
Police also dispatched recovery machines to pull the wreckage from the river as the public milled around the scene.
Kitavi, however, assured that all weapons belonging to the officers were secured.
Reports also indicated that Njukiini Ward MCA Timothy Kariuki expressed shock over the incident, adding that the accident happened minutes after he crossed the Rupingazi bridge.
According to the latest statistics from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), the number of road fatalities decreased by 4.6 per cent in a period of one year.
Further, pedestrian fatalities fell from 359 in 2022 to 330 in 2023, while pillion passenger fatalities decreased from 109 in 2022 to 93 in 2023.
However, driver fatalities shot from 95 in 2022, to 98 in 2023, while the number of passenger fatalities also recorded a jump from 154 to 171.
"The 4.6 per cent drop is mainly attributed to increased public education and awareness through the government road safety mainstreaming programme," the statement read in part.
