Kenya’s independence day, Jamhuri was punctuated by deaths of over 40 people killed in different black spots within the country in the last 24 hours.
Sadly, notorious Sachangwan black spot along Nakuru-Eldoret Highway claimed 16 lives in an accident that involved multiple vehicles.
The Sachangwan carnage happened on Tuesday morning. Sixteen passengers lost their lives while more than 60 sustained injuries.
On Monday, 19 people died in a multiple car accident in Bungoma, and four others in Machakos bringing the total number of deaths since Monday to 40, reports Daily Nation.
According to witnesses in the Sachangwan accident, it is reportedly said that a vehicle belonging to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) was chasing a truck ferrying logs from Congo to Nakuru at just about quarter to noon.
NTSA director-general, Francis Meja, denied the claim saying the NTSA vehicle was dispatched to warn oncoming motorists of the truck that was speeding.
It is then that its driver failed to negotiate a corner and rammed onto several vehicles killing 16 on the spot.
“It is then that the team dispatched the driver with one officer to warn motorists to clear the way. We had our strobe lights and sirens on,” said Meja. “Unfortunately, the driver (of the truck) could not negotiate a corner, and thus rammed oncoming vehicles.”
However, Sachangwan assistant county commissioner, Peter Mutiso had a different explanation different from NTSA’s version.
“The NTSA surveillance vehicle was in front of the truck and was leading it for about 500 metres from the scene of the accident as it tried to clear the way for other motorists,” said Mutiso.
Nakuru Police Commander Hassan Barua has said investigation have commenced to establish the facts of the matter.
From preliminary findings, it is suspected that the truck’s brake system failed before it veered off its lane and collided head-on with an Eldoret bound Modern Coast bus.
Following this, three passenger shuttles, six private vehicles, a pick-up truck and a truck ferrying salt rammed on each other.
They all died on the spot except for a ten-year old boy who was pronounced dead upon arrival at Nakuru Level Five Hospital.
This accident happens a few days after Deputy President William Ruto’s wife Rachel Ruto led a battery of pastors to the black spot and cleansed it ahead of the festive season.