Two die after matatu rams into a kiosk along Kakamega-Kisumu road

A 12-year-old pupil was among two people who died after a vehicle that lost control along Kakamega-Kisumu road knocked them down.

The boy was in a kiosk beside the road together with the man who also lost his life when the driver of a Toyota matatu of Kikasa Sacco lost control of the vehicle which rammed into the kiosk at 8pm on Saturday killing them instantly.

Kevin Onyango a resident of Mamboleo junction who witnessed the incident said they saw the vehicle moving at a very high speed, then heard a loud bang.

"I was seated outside my house when I noticed this matatu that was being driven at a very high speed. It then veered off the road and knocked a kiosk where an old man and a class six student from Kanyakwar Primary School was selling items. They died on the spot," he said.

The incident took place just a few metres from where the mother of the child was selling roast maize.

The bodies were taken to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) mortuary where the bodies will undergo a post Mortem.

Confirming the incident, Regional Traffic Officer Andrew Naibei said the driver of the vehicle escaped immediately after the fatal accident, but was later re-arrested.

"The driver of the vehicle is expected to appear in court on Monday," he said.

Three other people who had boarded the ill-fated matatu escaped with minor injuries.

"The injured are Josphat Ngaira,38 who sustained head injuries, Dan Kibageni, 21 who had bruises on both knees and Wilfred Ochieng, 31 who escaped with left leg bruises. Those injured have been discharged and are now in stable condition," Naibei said.

Area residents said that the condition of the road which is still under construction is putting their lives at risk.

John Ochieng, an area resident said that the state of the road, which is narrow and is still under construction, has made life difficult to the residents.

"The road is posing a lot of threats to us and we are praying that something should be done to resolve this," said Ochieng.

About two months ago, four people died on the spot a few metres away from the latest incident after a speeding lorry lost control and rammed into a personal vehicle and motorcyclist.