10 people died after a bus lost control and rolled at the Josa area along Wundanyi-Mwatate road in Taita Taveta County on Saturday, April 15.
It was reported that the bus was ferrying mourners from a funeral at the time of the accident.
According to a statement from National Police Service (NPS) ten people lost their lives during the accident.
"Last night, at around 2030 hrs at Josa area along Wundanyi Mwatate Road, a fatal road accident involving a PSV bus make Nissan happened.
"Onboard the bus were about 34 adult passengers including children from a burial at Mghambonyi area," the police statement read in part.
The statement further explained that upon reaching Josa area, the vehicle veered off the road and rolled several times before landing into a ditch about 100 metres from the road.
"The accident has claimed ten lives,( nine female and one male, all adults) and 17 people were seriously injured," the statement read further.
All victims were taken to Mwatate Sub County Hospital and Moi Level 5 Hospital for treatment.
According to police reports, the driver is in a critical condition.
Locals from the Josa area were the first to respond to the accident scene and took efforts to rescue passengers stuck on the bus.
They used an axe to break the body of the bus to rescue the passengers before government emergency personnel arrived at the scene.
This was the second fatal accident at the spot after an almost similar one happened on November 19, 2022.
The accident at that time involved a school bus carrying teachers from Memon School.
Just like in the recent accident, the teachers were coming from the funeral of their colleague in Kidaya.
National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on Monday, April 3, announced that 1,070 people had lost their lives in the first three months of 2023.
“According to the latest report, of the 1,072 people killed on our roads, 362 are pedestrians, 302 are motorcyclists, 184 are passengers, 101 are pillion passengers, 104 are drivers while 19 are pedal cyclists,” the Authority stated back then.
The number of passenger deaths was attributed to speeding vehicles, crossing at undesignated places, distracted driving or walking and drunk driving.
