Two people have died after a vehicle transporting ‘muguka’ lost control and overturned at Matairini area along Kwale Kinango Road in Matuga, Kwale County.
Confirming the reports, Kwale County Police Commander Stephen Ng’etich said the driver of the vehicle, a Toyota Voxy, was heading towards Kombani centre when he lost control on Monday morning.
“Upon reaching the location, the driver lost control and the vehicle rolled several times. As a result of the impact, the driver was ejected from the vehicle and sustained head injuries,” Mr Ng’etich said.
Witnesses at the scene rushed to collect the ‘muguka’, which had been packed into smaller bags, as efforts to rescue the 22-year-old driver continued.
Some of the locals at the scene struggled to break the windows and doors of the already crashed vehicle to gain access to the bags of ‘muguka’ and made off with them.
Mr Ng’etich said the other passenger suffered rib fractures.
The two were rushed to Kwale Sub County Hospital and both were pronounced dead on arrival.
Their bodies are being kept at the Kwale County Hospital mortuary awaiting post-mortem examination. The vehicle was towed to Diani Police Station.
Many users have been looking for alternative means of transport after the county government passed a law requiring transporters to pay hefty taxes to enter Kwale County.
This came after Coast governors expressed concern about the harmful effects of ‘muguka’ consumption on the young population.
