Five people have been confirmed dead, while two others have been severely injured in a tragic multi-vehicle accident along the Eldoret-Malaba Highway in Kenya.

The accident involving an oil tank vehicle heading for the Malaba border, a tractor carrying hardcore building materials, and the Probox vehicle coming from Busia happened on August 25, 2024, in the Murugusi area along the Eldoret-Malaba Highway.

According to the preliminary investigations, the oil tank vehicle was reportedly traveling at high speed when it lost control and hit the tractor before ramming into an oncoming Probox vehicle, dragging it more than fifteen meters off the road.

During an interview with the Lugari sub-county Police Commander, Julius Meli, on August 25, 2024, he confirmed that only two people survived the gruesome accident but with severe injuries.

Meli added that the five passengers who died on the spot were in the Probox car, and they died due to the hit impact and being dragged by the oil tanker for more than fifteen meters of the road.

’’The Probox car had seven occupants in it; however, two of them jumped out of the vehicle, hence why they were severely wounded, but the other five died on the spot,” Meli noted.

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Meli disclosed that the driver of the oil tank vehicle was not hurt and was arrested; however, the bodies of the deceased were taken to the Webuye sub-county mortuary, awaiting a postmortem and identification.

“The other two passengers who survived the accident are in critical condition at Eldoret Hospital, receiving first aid and better treatment,” he added.

This accident comes a few days after another horrible crash that happened on August 20, 2024, in the Migaa area near Salgaa, Molo constituency in Kenya, which left 13 people dead along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway due to a multiple vehicle accident that involved a Costa bus and more than 2 vehicles that left 55 people with severe injuries and are being treated at various hospitals in the area.

The National Traffic and Safety Authority (NTSA) has estimated that 3,000 people die in road accidents every year, with many of the accidents occurring on weekends and public holidays in the hours between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., which are considered the peak times for accidents, with drink driving and carelessness cited as some of the main causes of accidents.