One dead as youth torch vehicle in Luanda after fatal accident

The Matatu that was touched at Luanda town on September 6, 2025. [Brian Kisanji,Standard]

Luanda town descended into chaos on Saturday morning after a fatal accident along the Kisumu-Busia highway triggered violent protests, leaving one person dead, a matatu burned, and a trailer looted.

The 9 a.m. crash occurred when a matatu from Kisumu allegedly made an abrupt U-turn near Luanda stage, colliding with a motorcycle carrying two people from Busia.

The impact trapped the motorcycle between the matatu and an oncoming trailer.

The rider, John Otieno, 23, died instantly, while his passenger was injured and rushed to Equator Hospital. Otieno's body was later taken to the Coptic Mission Hospital mortuary.

The matatu driver, said to be a tout assigned to collect passengers, fled the scene.

News of the tragedy spread rapidly, drawing boda boda riders and residents who torched the vehicle and looted soft drinks from the trailer.

"The boda boda riders felt angered that the vehicle had killed their own and thus they torched the vehicle and looted the trailer," said eyewitness Fredrick Omolo.

Police commander Richard Siele confirmed officers were forced to use teargas to disperse the mob, warning the public against taking the law into their own hands.

Traffic was paralysed for hours before order was restored.