Fifteen people have died in a road accident at Malaha junction along the Webuye-Kitale highway in Bungoma County. The crash occurred on Monday night when a lorry lost control and collided with several vehicles and motorcycles. This tragedy adds to national sorrow as flood-related deaths reach 49.
The accident took place on Monday night when a lorry traveling from Lugulu toward Webuye lost control and struck three passenger vehicles and motorcycles at the busy Malaha junction. Witnesses reported that the lorry veered off and hit a passenger vehicle and nearby motorcycles. Among the fatalities were six people from one family, including a mother, three siblings, and two relatives, according to Ezekiel Kinusu.
Kinusu stated that his family had gathered on the road following an earlier incident involving two motorcyclists. "We have lost almost our entire family. This is a pain that is hard to describe," he said while at Webuye Sub-County Referral Hospital. He added that some victims were pushed into a nearby river, and bodies were retrieved from there.
Webuye Sub-County Police Commander Rosemary Odeke confirmed that 10 people died at the scene and others in the hospital, with all bodies preserved at the facility's mortuary. Several families now face the challenge of arranging multiple funerals.
Meanwhile, a National Police Service (NPS) statement reports that flood deaths from heavy rains have reached 49 nationwide. Some 2,624 families have been displaced, and infrastructure such as roads and bridges has been damaged. The Kenya Red Cross indicates that 4,845 people are affected, with over 20,800 acres of farmland destroyed.
Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja noted that officers continue to provide security services despite challenges, with 16 police stations impacted. The Kenya Meteorological Department warns of ongoing rain in six regions, though its intensity is beginning to decrease.