Kenya Defence Forces athlete killed in grisly road accident
David Macharia
A top Kenya Defence Forces runner was killed after a vehicle he was driving was involved in accident near Nyahururu town yesterday.
Kenneth Njiru, who specialises in 3,000 metres steeplechase, died on the spot after the vehicle he was driving lost control and collided with the tour van which had four Russian nationals on board.
Njiru was returning to the KDF athletics training camp in Nyahururu from his home in Embu where he had gone for the Christmas holidays.
Nyandarua North Sub-County Police Commander (SCPC) Timon Odingo said three of the Russians sustained serious injuries and were admitted at the Nyahururu County Referral Hospital.
“The KDF officer who was driving from Nyeri lost control of the Toyota Platz on reaching the scene and collided with the Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to ‘Team Wise Africa Tours’ which had four Russian nationals,” said Odingo.
He added: “The driver of the tour van tried to avoid a head on collision but the private vehicle was hit on the driver’s side, resulting in the death of the officer.”
The accident occurred a few kilometres from the Kianungu blackspot where eight people were killed early last year.
Residents have cited poor design and lack of bumps as the cause of the numerous accidents on the busy highway.
