Four people died on the night of Sunday, June 4, at Kaburengu blackspot on the busy Eldoret-Malaba highway in three different car crashes at about 9 p.m.
In the first accident, a speeding trailer rammed into a Probox car killing one instantly. Other passengers were later taken to hospital.
A few metres from the first accident, another trailer veered off the road and rammed into a house by the roadside killing three family members.
Speaking at the accident scene, Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula noted that the lorry lost control before the crash and sympathised with the family of the deceased.
"The lorry lost control while descending Chemoi Hill at a high speed. The driver avoided hitting the crowd milling around the first scene of the accident and drove right into the nearby house
"I have been to Webuye Level Four Hospital in Bungoma County and spoke to the driver of the lorry. I have assured those undergoing the treatment that Kakamega County will pay all the hospital bills," Savula stated.
Soon after, another accident occurred at the same spot involving a public service vehicle. No fatalities were reported in the incident but those who sustained injuries were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
In total, four individuals who sustained injuries were admitted at Webuye Level Four Hospital.
There was a traffic snarl-up on the busy Western Kenya Highway after the crashes but was cleared after police intervention.
Savula also implored the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) to erect speed bumps along the Eldore-Malava Highway, especially, at the Kaburengu blackspot that stretches from Chemoi Hill all the way to River Nzoia.
"We lost ten people at this very blackspot last year around September. We, therefore, need to put measures in place to avert another accident," Savula pleaded.
Kaburengu blackspot has experienced fatal accidents for years years due to a combination of factors including speeding, reckless driving, and poor road conditions.
In August 2020, eight people were killed and 13 others injured in a horrific accident at Kaburengu. A truck transporting building materials lost control and ploughed into a group of people who were selling goods at the roadside. The accident was one of the deadliest in the area in recent years.
