Bus Coming From Congo Was In Good Condition Before Accident Killing 15- Survivor

The bus belonging to the Classics Kings of Congo which was involved in a grisly road accident along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway which claimed the lives of 15 people early on Tuesday, January 9 was in good condition, according to a survivor who recounted the last moments before the accident.

Speaking to the media, the survivor revealed that the bus was transiting from Congo towards Kenya having passed through Kampala in Uganda before the accident occurred.

While on its way to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, he added that the bus was travelling at the recommended speed when the unfortunate accident occurred at around 2:45 am at the Twin Bridge area.

Bus belonging to Classics Kings of Congo after 15 people perished in a fatal road accident at Twin Bridge along Nakuru-Eldoret Highway on Tuesday morning, January 9, 2024. /NPS

“While coming from Congo, through Kampala to Kenya we had a good journey, we were travelling through Kenya to Dar es Salaam, the speed was okay, we were travelling in a bus. We arrived at the Kenya-Uganda border and were cleared without any problem," the survivor noted.

“We arrived here (Mau Summit) and at the time, there was another vehicle in front of us."

According to the man, at the time of the crash, the bus driver had attempted to overtake another vehicle before the passengers heard a loud bang.

This was the collision which occurred between the bus and a matatu managed by the North Ways Shuttle Sacco.

"The driver was attempting to overtake then suddenly we heard a loud bang then immediately the driver told us to evacuate," added the survivor.

Furthermore, the survivor revealed that while most of the matatu's occupants died during the horrific collision, there were no deaths recorded amongst the occupants of the bus though most of them emerged with minor injuries.

“The driver was the first to come out then I followed. I then saw him converging with other bus crew before they walked away," he added.

The National Police Service (NPS) in a statement earlier disclosed that officers from Mau Summit Police Station were deployed to the scene to cordon off the area as investigations into the accident commenced.

"The injured were rushed to Molo Sub-County Hospital," NPS stated in a statement issued on Tuesday morning.

It was still unclear if the death toll was expected to rise as the real cause of the accident remains unknown by the time of publishing.

Photos shared by NPS showed the bus heavily damaged in the front, with its windshield and lights shuttered. Its front tyres were also missing indicating that debris was scattered across the road, posing a significant danger to other road users. 

On its part, the matatu was deformed, as the impact of the head of the collision forced the vehicle to buckle. 

"The National Police Service is appealing to all motorists to exercise extreme caution on our roads to prevent road crashes," NPS cautioned motorists to observe traffic laws particularly while driving at night.

This is the second accident to occur in less than 24 hours after three people died on the spot following an accident along Isinya- Kitengela Road which involved a Toyota matatu and an Isuzu lorry.