NAIROBI, Kenya — At least three people have reportedly died after a navy blue Toyota Mark X crashed near Kenol Stage along Ngong Road in Nairobi on Thursday morning, October 29, before the wreckage was set ablaze by angry boda boda riders.
The crash occurred at around 7:25am near the Raila Odinga International Stadium, according to accounts from the scene.
Eyewitnesses said a dark blue saloon car travelling from the Ngong direction appeared to lose control, hit the pavement and veer off the road before striking a woman who was waiting for a matatu to the city centre.
The woman reportedly died at the scene, while other people were injured and taken to hospital. The circumstances surrounding the additional reported fatalities had not been independently established at the time of publication.
Following the crash, boda boda riders reportedly set the wreckage on fire. Witnesses who spoke to Vivid Voice News said some riders claimed the act was intended to ward off bad omens associated with the fatal incident.
Images circulating online showed the extensively damaged vehicle engulfed in flames as members of the public gathered at the scene.
Eyewitnesses alleged that police recovered two bottles of alcohol from the wreckage, prompting speculation that the driver may have been under the influence.
However, the presence of alcohol containers alone does not establish that the driver had consumed alcohol or that intoxication contributed to the crash.
The driver’s condition, the cause of the collision and the circumstances in which the vehicle caught fire require confirmation from police and investigators.
The incident also raises questions about the decision to burn the wreckage after the crash, potentially complicating efforts to examine the vehicle and establish what happened.
The fatal incident comes amid renewed concern about road deaths in Kenya following a series of deadly crashes in October.
On Sunday, October 25, at least 22 people were reported killed when a passenger bus collided head-on with a lorry in the Kanga area near Mtito Andei along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway. The bus was carrying people returning from a burial in western Kenya.
The collision followed another deadly crash near Salama on October 3, in which at least 17 people, most of them Catholic pilgrims, died in a multi-vehicle collision.
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The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) recorded 3,995 road deaths between January 1 and October 4, 2026, representing a 9.2 per cent increase from the 3,657 fatalities recorded during the same period in 2025. The figures translate to an average of about 14 deaths a day.
Pedestrians were the largest group among those killed, accounting for 1,490 deaths, followed by motorcyclists, who accounted for 1,061, according to the published NTSA figures.
The latest crash highlights the risks faced by pedestrians waiting beside busy roads, particularly where vehicles lose control or leave the carriageway.
Authorities have repeatedly called for compliance with traffic regulations, responsible driving and sustained enforcement against dangerous road behaviour.
Police are yet to publicly establish the cause of the Kenol Stage crash or confirm the full circumstances surrounding the reported deaths and subsequent fire.
