A matatu and timber lorry collided near Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT) on Saturday evening, killing 16 people. Traffic officials cite a sudden boda boda motorcycle and speeding as key factors. Four survivors are in critical condition in hospital.
Maureen Wambui was heading home to Mweiga, Kieni, with her two-year-old daughter Olivia Muthoni when the crash occurred. Their matatu collided with a lorry near DeKUT on the Nyeri-Nyahururu road. Fifteen passengers died at the scene, with one more in hospital, totalling 16 deaths.
Central Region Traffic Officer Elizabeth Vivi said the matatu carried 14 passengers and two children, while the lorry had a driver and two conductors. "Near DeKUT, a boda boda appeared suddenly on the road. The lorry driver tried to avoid hitting the motorcyclist, then the vehicle heading to Nyeri collided with the matatu," Vivi stated.
Anthony Waweru, a boda boda rider and one of the first rescuers, said the lorry was speeding. "We tried to save them by removing timber from the lorry to reduce weight," he added. Four people—three adults and one child—survived and were rushed to hospital in critical condition.
NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa stated preliminary probe points to speeding and the lorry possibly being unroadworthy. Ten bodies have been identified, six await recognition. Families are urged to come forward and receive counselling at Nyeri County Hospital.
