Mombasa road crash claims seven

By Linah Benyawa

Seven people were killed and four injured on Saturday in a grisly road accident at Kibarani in Mombasa.

A matatu and a car collided along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway and the matatu appears to have lost control and rammed the back of the car as the driver tried to avoid hitting an approaching truck.

 The matatu driver and three-week-old Salim Sultan, his mother Baina Ramzan and five-year-old Alvin Mwenda survived. Both drivers were admitted to Coast General Hospital in Mombasa.

Ms Catherine Kanini, rescued the infant that lay on the ground after the incident. “The boy, who sustained injuries on the head and arm, was thrown out of a matatu by an unidentified passenger. I rescued him and rushed him to the Coast Provincial General Hospital,” said Kanini. According to Mr Omar Kainan, a witness, both vehicles were over speeding and lost control hence the collision. Confirming the incident, Coast Traffic Commandant Joshua Omukata blamed the matatu driver for speeding and overtaking, saying the vehicle lost control before veering off the opposite lane.

“This afternoon a fatal accident occurred after a matatu veered off its lane and hit a Probox: seven people died on the spot while four were injured and rushed to hospital,” said Mr Omukata. Omukata said the area was a black spot and urged drivers to be careful especially during the rainy season as roads are slippery.

• .

  Keep Reading

• 
  PS Inyangala calls for harmonisation of systems to break higher education barriers in East Africa
• 
  Boundary row re-ignites battle over location of Kapedo Town
• 
  Ruto reshuffle: Shifting blame or taking responsibility?
• 
  Saved from the jaws of death: Munyakho's 13-year Saudi ordeal

“It is the duty of all drivers to take care because there is a possibility of accidents due to the rains,” he added.