The death toll from a road crash in Mbooni, Makueni County, on Sunday has risen to 12 after two more passengers succumbed to injuries.
The mangled wreckage of the fourteen-seater Matatu bore witness to the severity of the early morning crash.
The PSV, which had a seating capacity of fourteen, had seventeen occupants when it crashed along Makueni County’s Kikima-Kali-Machakos road.
Witnesses to the collision claim that the driver lost control of the car and rolled into a ditch off the side of the road.
“Hiyo gari wakati ilipita hapa, ilipita kama masaa imeenda enda, na kusema ukweli hii barabara iko na miteremko mikali,” Jeremiah Kimani, a witness, said.
Evelyn Mumbe, a passenger on the matatu, says she still does not know how she survived that fateful crash.
“Nilisikia dere akishout, akisema mambo imeharibika, juu nilikuwa nimekaa mbele nikamuuliza nini imeharibika, akasema hii gari, najaribu kuguza breki haiingii…ilienda distance kidogo, ilianguka,”she said.
“Gari iliroll, nikasikia watu wakiscrea,”
By the time the vehicle came to a stop in the valley, ten people had died and seven had been injured, one of whom was a relative of Bramwell Kisilu.
“Alipoabiri gari kuendelea huko ndio wakati ajali ilitokea aliumia kwa mkono,” Kisilu told Citizen TV.
Two of the seven injured later died as a result of their injuries, bringing the total number of fatalities from the deadly accident to twelve.
The injured were taken to Mbooni Sub-County Hospital for emergency treatment.
The administration in the county now wants road users to be vigiant and cautious as the travel over the festivities begin.
The acting county commissioner is warning matatu saccos and passengers to follow the rules and regulations when travelling.
“Kwa wananchi ni kuomba wakati huu hakuna haja uningie gari ambayao imejaa, magari ziko mingi, unaeza ngojea gari ingine, kama ni usiku, unaweza omba mahali pa kulala, hakuna haja uingie gari lililojaa mnapangwa kama gunia za mahindi,” Gicharu said.
Meanwhile, the survivors are still receiving treatment, with one of them having been discharged from hospital
