Former Minister Franklin Bett was rushed to the hospital on Thursday night after being injured in an accident on the Awasi-Kericho road in Kisumu County.
Two other passengers in his vehicle and his driver also sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital, according to police reports.
The accident occurred around 7 p.m. on August 15 in the Karange area. Bett’s four-wheel drive collided with a tractor carrying sugarcane. Both vehicles were traveling in the same direction when the crash happened. It is believed that Bett’s driver did not see the tractor ahead due to the lack of signage on it.
Following the collision, the tractor’s driver fled the scene, continuing to an unknown destination. Bett suffered a deep cut on his forehead, while the two female passengers and the driver had minor injuries.
Bett was initially taken to Awasi Catholic Hospital, where he was stabilized, and then referred to Aga Khan Hospital Kisumu for further treatment. Police have towed Bett’s vehicle to the station for inspection and are searching for the tractor involved in the incident.
Witnesses reported that the injured individuals are in stable condition. There have been ongoing concerns about accidents involving sugarcane-carrying tractors, particularly due to the lack of proper signage and visibility issues, especially at night. Local authorities are being engaged to address this problem.
In separate incidents, two people were killed in accidents involving bodaboda riders, with the first accident occurring on the Kisii-Kericho Highway on August 10.
A pillion passenger died after a motorcycle they were riding on collided with a car. The accident occurred on the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway near the Umash area and involved a trailer and a motorcycle.
According to police, the motorcycle was traveling from Nakuru towards Nairobi when it crashed into the rear of the trailer, which was partially parked on the road, facing towards Nairobi. The impact caused the rider to fall onto the tarmac, resulting in their immediate death.
The trailer sustained minor damage to its rear. The bodies were transported to the mortuary. Authorities report that motorcycle-related accidents are a significant issue, and there is an ongoing campaign to address this problem.
