MAKUENI, Kenya — Seven people were killed and 28 others injured after a minibus carrying relatives and friends plunged down an escarpment in Makueni County on Friday evening.
The crash occurred at about 6:30pm on August 14 along the Kalamba-Kalembwani murram road in the Maumba area, according to police and local residents.
The passengers were reportedly travelling from Nthongoni in Kibwezi East to Maumba in Ikangavya for a dowry ceremony when the minibus lost control.
Police said the vehicle veered off the road and plunged approximately 500 metres down the escarpment.
Six men and one woman died from injuries sustained in the crash.
Police had not immediately established the identities of the seven victims.
The vehicle was being driven by an unidentified driver, while the exact number of people aboard the minibus was also not immediately established.
Four passengers sustained serious injuries and were taken to Wote County Hospital for specialised treatment.
Another 24 passengers suffered minor injuries and were transported to Matiliku Sub-County Hospital, where they were receiving treatment in stable condition.
The casualty figures bring the total number of injured passengers to 28.
Police officers visited the scene and began processing evidence as investigations continued into the circumstances that caused the minibus to leave the road.
The bodies of the seven victims were transferred to the Kilome Hospital mortuary, where they were being held pending identification and postmortem examinations.
The wreckage of the minibus remained at the scene as arrangements were made to tow the vehicle.
Police had not established whether factors such as speeding, mechanical failure, driver error or road conditions contributed to the crash.
Investigators are expected to examine the vehicle, road conditions and circumstances surrounding the journey as they establish what caused the driver to lose control.
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The accident occurred on a murram road, with the vehicle subsequently plunging down a steep escarpment.
Authorities have repeatedly urged motorists to exercise caution on roads, particularly on sections with steep terrain, sharp bends and other hazards.
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the National Police Service have also continued to call on motorists to obey traffic regulations, avoid dangerous driving and ensure vehicles are roadworthy.
The Makueni crash adds to the country’s continuing road-safety concerns, with serious crashes regularly leaving multiple people dead or injured.
Investigations into Friday’s accident were ongoing.
