Londiani crash: Accident that shocked the country

"The accident happened within a twinkle of an eye. I just heard a loud bang, tyres screeching, and people screaming," she said from her hospital bed at Kericho County Hospital.

Despite the chaos, Maritim managed to escape with soft tissue injuries, breaking the vehicle's window and manoeuvring over lifeless bodies to exit the crash site.

"I thank God that I emerged alive in a situation where many people died," she said.

The ill-fated Nanaki Sacco vehicle had halted at the Londiani junction, seeking alternative transportation for passengers before tragedy struck.

"The accident happened before the conductor could get us an alternative vehicle," said Maritim.

Among the victims was Joan Chepchirchir, a 38-year-old roadside maize roaster and hawker. Her cousin, Caroline Cherutich, lamented.

"She wanted to use the school half-term break to raise some money for children's school needs but ended up dying in the crash."

The driver of the cement-laden truck, Gilbert Mutuye Mungu, a Rwandese, cited brake failure as the cause of the accident.

"I departed from Simba Cement Factory in Salgaa heading towards Uganda through Busia and lost control of my truck due to brake failure. I was with my co-driver, and I don't know whether he has been admitted," he said.

"Upon arriving at the junction heading towards Malaba, I lost control of the vehicle because the brakes could not function, and I panicked," Mutuye added.

Mutuye, who faced 90 charges, including dangerous driving leading to loss of lives, appeared before the Molo Law court on July 20th.

Speaking during a prayer service for the victims of the Londiani accident held on July 4th, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen directed that all Public Service Vehicles (PSV) and school buses be fitted with dashboard cameras to help curb road accidents.

Family members holding portrait photos of their loved ones during the memorial service for the Londiani Junction accident victims in Kericho County on July 4, 2023. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Families and survivors impacted by the Londiani road crash later received the entire amount of Sh14.5 million collected by well-wishers on July 4.

The Londiani Disaster Committee, chaired by Kericho County Secretary Dr Wesley Bor, shared that in the second phase of their program, they provided an additional Sh110,000 in addition to the Sh90,000 already given to each of the 53 families on July 4th.

It added up to a total of Sh200,000 for each bereaved family.

For the 24 survivors of the accident, who had initially received Sh60,000 each, an extra Sh80,000 was distributed in the second phase, making their total compensation Sh140,000 each. Dr Bor noted that the committee also compensated three boda-boda motorcycle owners with Sh185,000 each for damages incurred in the accident.

"We want to assure the entire nation that we have fully compensated those affected by the Londiani road accident," stated Bor.

He disclosed that a sum of Sh13,653,660 was increased during the July 4th fundraiser, with an additional Sh935,964 collected through the M-Pesa pay bill, totaling Sh14,589,623.

The only deduction from the collected funds was Sh24,000 paid to a local security firm for transportation during the banking process.

In addition to the funds raised from the fundraiser, the national government offered Sh300,000 to each family that lost a loved one in the Londiani accident.