At least seven people were killed and eight others seriously injured in a road crash involving a trailer and two matatus along the Eldoret-Nakuru Road in Ainabkoi Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County.
According to the police, the accident occurred at about 8:30pm on Thursday at the Mlima Punda.
The crash involved a Mercedes Actros trailer, a Toyota Hiace matatu belonging to Bluemarks Shuttle and another Toyota Hiace.
According to preliminary police investigations, the trailer was travelling from Nakuru towards Eldoret when its driver allegedly attempted to overtake while descending a hill, veering into the path of the two oncoming matatus.
The trailer collided head-on with both vehicles, leaving the driver of the Bluemarks Shuttle matatu and six of his passengers dead at the scene.
Eight other passengers sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Burnt Forest Hospital for treatment.
Police said the identities of the deceased and injured were yet to be released as efforts to notify their families continued.
The bodies were moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary in Eldoret pending identification and post-mortem examinations.
The wreckage was being towed to Tarakwa Police Station for inspection as traffic investigators continue to probe the cause of the crash.
The accident was among at least six that were reported on Thursday alone leaving at least 17 people dead, police said.
The victims included eight passengers, four pedestrians, two pillion passengers, two riders and a driver. Police said the accidents left 27 people with serious injuries and included 14 passengers, ten riders and two pillion passengers.
For instance, two women were killed and a motorcycle rider seriously injured in a hit-and-run road accident at Suneka Township along the Kisii–Migori Road in Kisii County.
Police said the crash occurred at about 3:50pm on Thursday when an unidentified motor vehicle travelling in the same direction as a motorcycle, allegedly rammed it from behind before fleeing the scene.
The motorcycle was carrying two pillion passengers identified as Eunice Magoma Mbaka, 35, and Josephine Binsari Nyamwaro, 40.
The impact threw the passengers off the motorcycle, killing both women on the spot, while the rider sustained serious injuries and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
Police officers visited the scene and established that neither the rider nor the two passengers were wearing helmets or reflective jackets at the time of the crash.
The bodies of the deceased were moved to the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary pending post-mortem examinations, while the damaged motorcycle was towed to the police station for inspection.
Fatal accidents have been on the rise amid efforts to address the menace.
Officials say reckless overtaking, speeding, and drunk driving remain among the leading causes of road accidents across the country, continuing to claim lives despite sustained public safety campaigns by National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
Mechanical failures from poorly maintained vehicles, including worn tyres and faulty brakes, have also been identified as significant contributors to the growing number of crashes.
