Seven passengers died in a road accident while 12 others sustained serious injuries in Oyani along the Migori-Kisii highway.
Base Commander Chief Inspector Aggrey Ukiru said the driver of the 14-seater matatu is believed to have lost control of the vehicle after hitting a pothole.
"The driver lost control upon hitting a pothole in the middle of the road. Five people were confirmed dead on the spot, while the other two died while undergoing treatment at Migori Level Four Hospital," said Mr Ukiru.
"We are piecing together what might have happened. But our preliminary findings indicate that the vehicle was moving at high speed and was overloaded," he added.
When The Standard visited the hospital, we found several relatives waiting to identify the bodies of their loved ones.
According to one survivor, Edward Oyoo, the vehicle seemed to have faulty brakes but the driver refused to listen to the passengers' pleas for him to slow down.
Negotiated corners
"The vehicle was overloaded, with some passengers standing. In some instances the vehicle seemed unstable, especially as it negotiated corners. We then found ourselves rolling after hitting something on the road," Mr Oyoo said.
Ukiru noted that the matatu crew must have taken advantage of the absence of traffic officers on the road and overloaded the vehicle.
"The public are also to blame because they have a culture of boarding vehicles already filled to capacity. This must stop," he said.
The vehicle had 21 passengers, against the recommended 13, at the time of the accident. The driver is believed to be among those who died.
