TRANS NZOIA, Kenya — Former Citizen TV journalist Willis Raburu sustained minor injuries after he was involved in a road accident while accompanying the Linda Mwananchi campaign trail in Trans Nzoia County, adding to a growing list of crashes linked to the movement’s political tours.
Raburu said he was riding on a motorcycle after being separated from the main campaign convoy when a vehicle struck him and knocked him to the ground before driving away without stopping.
Despite suffering bruises, he said he quickly resumed the journey and managed to catch up with the rest of the campaign team.
“Some random car hit me on the road. Campaign trails can be intense. I fell and got some bruises, but I’m okay nonetheless. Nothing can stop a movement whose time has come! Caught up to the caravan, and we kept it 100 per cent,” Raburu said.
Video footage obtained by Vivid Voice News shows the former broadcaster explaining that he had been left behind by the convoy and was trying to rejoin the campaign while travelling on a motorcycle.
“I was left behind by campaign cars. I am on a motorbike. I was hit by a car and fell. We are chasing the convoy. The MC is behind with a microphone, but we will reach them. I suffered slight injuries, nothing much. Those are the rules of war,” Raburu recounted.
He said he sustained only minor bruises to his hands and feet and did not require extensive medical treatment.
The accident has renewed concerns about safety arrangements during political campaigns, where convoys often travel across long distances under tight schedules, sometimes leaving support teams scrambling to catch up.
Raburu’s accident was not an isolated incident.
Earlier the same day, a Toyota Prado associated with a Linda Mwananchi aspirant overturned along the Sibanga–Kitale road in Trans Nzoia County during another campaign event.
Witnesses attributed the crash to excessive speed, claiming several supporters had been hanging onto the outside of the vehicle moments before it rolled over.
Several people were injured in the accident, with three reportedly remaining in critical condition.
Movement figure Abigael Gikonyo later confirmed that no fatalities had been recorded.
Senior opposition leaders travelling separately, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, were not involved in the crash and proceeded with the day’s campaign activities.
The back-to-back incidents have intensified debate over the safety of political convoys, particularly during high-energy grassroots campaigns where large crowds, motorcycles, speeding vehicles and long road journeys create heightened risks.
Political analysts say campaign teams increasingly rely on tightly packed vehicle convoys to maximise visibility and reach multiple stops in a single day.
However, they warn that inadequate traffic coordination, overspeeding and overcrowded vehicles can quickly transform campaign excitement into serious public safety hazards.
The latest incidents also revive memories of another high-profile convoy crash earlier this month involving President William Ruto’s security detail.
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On July 5, an escort vehicle in the presidential motorcade collided with a lorry along the Embu–Meru Highway near Mutunduri as the President travelled to a church service.
Several members of the presidential security team sustained injuries in that incident.
While Raburu escaped with relatively minor injuries, Saturday’s events underscore the growing safety challenges surrounding Kenya’s increasingly intense political campaigns.
With the 2027 General Election drawing closer and campaign activities expected to intensify across the country, pressure is likely to mount on organisers to strengthen convoy management, enforce speed discipline and improve safety measures for candidates, campaign staff and supporters travelling on the trail.
