A devastating road accident on the Kisumu-Kakamega highway on Wednesday evening, November 13, claimed the lives of ten people and left twenty others injured.
The crash occurred at Iguhu Bridge around 6 p.m. when a tanker, traveling from Kisumu towards Kakamega, lost control after hitting a bump.
The vehicle veered into the oncoming lane, colliding with two public service vehicles (PSVs) that were headed in the opposite direction.
According to the police report, the tanker driver lost control after hitting the bump, causing the vehicle to veer to the right side of the road, where it struck the two matatus.
“On reaching the location of the accident, the driver hit a bump, lost control, and veered into the oncoming lane, hitting two vehicles,” the report stated.
The driver of the tanker fled the scene and has not yet been identified by the authorities.
The matatus, which were traveling from Kakamega to Kisumu, were filled with passengers at the time of the crash.
Ten people were killed instantly, while the injured were rushed to Mbale District Hospital and Kakamega County General Hospital for treatment.
The bodies of the deceased were transported to the morgue at Kakamega General Referral Hospital for identification and post-mortem.
Witnesses at the scene described the terrifying moments of the accident. One witness suggested that the tanker’s brakes may have failed before it crashed into the two matatus.
“We have witnessed a tragic accident here, and it feels like a national disaster.
The tanker was heading to Kakamega, while the two matatus were going in the opposite direction.
We don’t know if the brakes failed, but all the passengers in the matatus died,” the witness said.
Another witness described how the tanker lost control after hitting the bump, crashing into one matatu parked by the side of the road, which then collided with the second matatu due to the force of the impact.
“The tanker came down from above at high speed, lost control after going over the bump, and hit a passenger vehicle that was parked on the roadside.
That vehicle then crashed into the one behind it,” he recounted.
A third witness spoke about local residents rushing to help the injured but lamented that many of them did not survive.
“We tried to save as many people as we could, taking them to the hospital,” the witness said.
Police spokesperson Resila Onyango confirmed that authorities are actively searching for the tanker driver, who fled the scene after the crash.
This tragic incident follows another fatal accident on the same highway in July 2024, when two people were killed after a lorry carrying wooden planks overturned near Mamboleo while traveling from Kakamega to Kisumu.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
“I join in mourning with the families who have tragically lost their loved ones in the unfortunate accident at Iguhu Bridge along the Kisumu-Kakamega Highway.
In this time of profound grief, may the Lord grant them comfort and strength,” Mudavadi said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
He also wished the injured a swift recovery and urged all road users to exercise caution as the festive season approaches.
“To those who have been injured, I send my heartfelt wishes for a swift and full recovery.
As we approach the festive season, I urge all road users to exercise extra caution and vigilance to ensure the safety of all,” he added.
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