Six more perish in tragedy at notorious Eldoret blackspot
Six people have perished following a tragic road accident along the Eldoret-Kitale Highway bringing to 12 the number of people who have died on the same route since the beginning of the year alone.
The Wednesday night accident at Kaptingo area involved three vehicles; an Isuzu D-Max belonging to Kenya Roads Authority, a 14-seater matatu and a tractor, according to Uasin Gishu Police Commander Ayub Gitonga.
The drivers of the matatu and the D-Max, according to Gitonga, were among the victims who died on the spot.
“Several other people sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH). We call on drivers plying the route to be cautious to avert rampant accidents,” said Gitonga.
Area residents who spoke to People Daily raised concern over the upsurge of accidents on the route and called on the government to erect pumps in the area.
They blamed rampant accidents on the route to stationery trucks which are packed haphazardly along the road and called on the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to take action against its owners.
“Such accidents can be avoided if NTSA takes action. This road has become a death trap and we are losing many innocent lives,” said Joseph Bett, a resident.
“Drivers who are not conversant with the route speed in the area while others join the highway carelessly causing unnecessary accidents. Many lives have been lost here,” added Bett.
The mangled wreckages of the vehicles were towed to the nearby Yamumbi Police Station while the bodies of the deceased were moved to MTRH mortuary.
Medics at the MTRH said the injured were responding well to treatment with most of the victims sustaining soft-tissue injuries.
In June this year, six people died following grisly multiple road accidents at Kosachei area along the busy Eldoret-Webuye highway.
The accident involved two trucks and two Nissan Matatus belonging to Trippin Sacco and NNUS Sacco.
The 14-sitter Trippin Matatu Sacco which was carrying an unknown number of passengers first rammed into a lorry which was heading to Webuye but had suddenly stopped.
Another Nissan Matatu belonging to NNUS Sacco heading to Eldoret stopped at the scene to assist in rescue but was also hit by another lorry heading to Eldoret.
The impact saw the matatu pushed into a ditch and fell on it, trapping passengers on board. More than 10 people who were injured were rescued and rushed to various hospitals in the region including the MTRH.
