A tragic collision involving a Royal Liner bus has claimed one life and left six others injured near Lela on the Kisumu Busia road, deepening concerns over a deadly start to August on Kenyan roads.
According to Regional Traffic Enforcement Officer Peter Maina, investigations are ongoing into the cause of the crash. Reports indicate that the accident occurred when a flatbed trailer truck, attempting to overtake at a sharp bend just past Lela in Maseno, rammed the bus from behind. A fuel tanker was also caught up in the collision.
Images from the scene showed severe damage to the driver’s side of the bus, with first responders and police working to rescue passengers and clear the wreckage.
This incident follows a string of major road accidents that have shaken the country in recent days. On Saturday, an ENA Coach bus travelling from Nairobi to Migori overturned near Mai Mahiu after a trailer behind it lost brakes, killing a woman and a child.
Earlier on August 8, a school bus carrying mourners overturned at the Coptic Roundabout on the Kisumu Kakamega road, killing 21 people instantly. The death toll later rose to 26 as more victims succumbed to injuries in hospital.
The National Transport and Safety Authority and the National Police Service have pledged stricter traffic enforcement in response to the alarming rise in fatalities. NPS spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga urged drivers to avoid speeding, reckless overtaking, drink driving, overloading and fatigue, warning that most accidents are preventable.
With the month barely halfway through, over 50 people have already lost their lives in road crashes across Kenya this August, cementing fears that the so called cursed month may again live up to its grim reputation.
