Aston Lukoye
Raila Odinga has sent his condolences to Pwani University after 14 people lost their lives during an accident along the Nairobi-Naivasha Highway.
“I extend my sincere condolences to the Pwani University community and all those who lost colleagues, friends, and loved ones in the regrettable accident that involved a Pwani University bus and matatu on the Naivasha-Nakuru highway,” he wrote on his Twitter account.
A matatu and a Pwani University bus collided at the Kayole Bridge on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway on Thursday, leaving at least 18 people dead.
Kisilu Mutua, the deputy county commissioner for Naivasha, verified the death toll but cautioned that more victims might still be inside the bus as of the time of this publication.
“That is the latest figure but the number could be higher. I am still getting updates from traffic officers and hospital authorities,” said the administrator.
Both the bus and the matatu were heading toward Nakuru.
Authorities and emergency responders were deployed to the scene to restore the normal flow of traffic after the accident caused a snarl-up along the highway.
A number of injured persons were taken to nearby hospitals for immediate medical attention.
Additionally, drivers on the route issued warnings to their coworkers to proceed cautiously near the affected region.
The accident occurs just one week after the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) reported a 4.6% decrease in the country’s overall number of fatal traffic accidents.
The authority noted a decrease in accidents over the course of a year and said that total statistics indicate a decrease in fatalities from 1,021 to 974.
According to the NTSA, the decrease is mostly because to better public education and awareness generated by the Usalama Barabarani Campaign, which is financed by the European Union, and the Government Road Safety Mainstreaming Programme.
