Eight people tragically lost their lives, and five others sustained serious injuries, on Tuesday night when a speeding 14-seater matatu collided with a stationary lorry on the Eldoret-Webuye highway in Lugari.
The accident occurred at Mukhonje after the matatu, reportedly traveling at high speed, lost control, veered off its lane, and rammed into the lorry, which had stalled due to mechanical problems.
Western Regional Police Commander Issa Mohamud confirmed that seven individuals died at the scene, with an eighth victim succumbing to injuries while being rushed to the hospital.
Mohamud suggested that the lorry crew might have failed to place adequate warning signs to alert other road users of the breakdown.
Images from the scene depicted the matatu extensively damaged, with broken seats, a shattered windscreen, and deflated tires, highlighting the severity of the impact.
Following the crash, locals reportedly looted fertilizer that the lorry was transporting before police secured the area, and the lorry crew fled the scene.
This tragic incident is part of a disturbing trend of increased road accidents across Kenya, particularly during the festive season.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) reports that 4,458 people have been killed in road accidents between January and December 2025, an increase of 147 fatalities compared to the same period last year.
Pedestrians remain the most vulnerable group, accounting for 1,685 deaths.
Authorities attribute the rising number of crashes to factors such as speeding, reckless overtaking, drunk driving, poor vehicle maintenance, and inadequate road conditions.
