A series of devastating accidents on the perilous Nakuru-Nairobi highway has left a trail of death, disruption, and despair, with the confirmed fatality count rising to 16 by Monday.
The week of tragedy began last Friday near Gilgil, when a multi-vehicle pileup, involving a truck that overturned and completely blocked the road, brought one of the country’s busiest transport corridors to a grinding halt. The incident stranded thousands of travellers and motorists for hours, setting a grim tone for the days to follow.
The situation turned even more tragic on Saturday night. In a heartbreaking twist, an ambulance, ferrying a patient to receive critical care, was itself involved in a catastrophic crash. The vehicle was reduced to a mangled wreck, claiming the lives of all six people on board instantly.
“The aftermath of the accident was a mangled wreck that claimed the lives of everyone on board instantly,” a preliminary report stated, underscoring the severity of the collision.
Despite the weekend’s horrors, the accidents continued. On Sunday night, another severe crash occurred in the same area, killing 13 people on the spot. By Monday, that number had climbed to 16 as three more individuals succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
Adding to the chaos, Monday saw yet another incident near Gilgil, this time involving two lorries between Kikopey and Gilgil. While the casualty count from this latest crash remains unclear, it caused a major traffic snarl-up, creating a haunting sense of déjà vu for travellers who had been stranded just days before.
The recurring tragedies on this stretch of road have sparked urgent questions about road safety measures. Eyewitness accounts from the various incidents point to a highway pushed beyond its capacity, where a single accident can trigger massive disruptions and where emergency vehicles are not immune to the danger.
As authorities work to clear the wreckage and investigate the causes, the human cost of this week’s events is immeasurable. The highway, a vital artery for commerce and travel, has become a site of profound grief, leaving communities to mourn the loss of at least 16 lives in a devastatingly short period.
