Three university students have died, and six others were injured after the bus they were travelling in overturned along the busy Nairobi–Mombasa highway in Kibwezi, Makueni County on Friday evening.
Evans Peter, Head of the Kenya Red Cross Society in Makueni County, confirmed that the three victims died instantly when the vehicle flipped at Zion area near Machinery Market in Kibwezi Subcounty.
“The scene has been cleared, and there is no traffic snarl-up. The university students had hired the vehicle to take them to Mombasa,” Peter said.
He added that the six injured were rushed to Kambu Level 4 Subcounty Hospital, where they are receiving treatment. The victims were transported in an ambulance provided by the Makueni County Government.
According to Peter, the students had reportedly hired the bus specifically for their journey from Nairobi to Mombasa when the accident occurred.
The wreckage has been towed to Kibwezi Police Station for inspection and other required procedures, while the bodies have been moved to a local mortuary awaiting autopsy.
Kyulu Assistant County Commissioner William Tonui said preliminary investigations indicate that the driver lost control while attempting to avoid a man reportedly walking erratically in the middle of the road.
“According to the reports we have gathered, a man behaving unusually was walking in the middle of the road. The driver tried to avoid him but lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn,” Tonui said. He urged motorists to exercise caution while driving along the highway to prevent further accidents.
Members of the public gathered at the scene, some assisting in the rescue operations, as authorities cleared the wreckage and managed the aftermath of the crash.