Several people lost their lives while others were injured following a road accident at Kariandusi near Kikopey on the Nakuru–Nairobi Highway on Sunday morning, September 28, 2025. The crash involved a 14-seater matatu and a trailer.

Gilgil sub-County Police Commander Winston Mwakio confirmed the accident and the fatalities. Police and members of the public rushed to the scene to assist survivors and manage traffic along the busy highway.

Eyewitnesses reported that the matatu collided head-on with the trailer, leaving the smaller vehicle badly crushed. The trailer veered off the road before overturning, though its cargo remained intact. Parts of both vehicles and personal belongings were scattered across the tarmac.

Steve Weru, who was driving behind the matatu, narrowly avoided the crash. He described the moment as terrifying:

“Sababu matatu ilikuwa mbele yangu, all of a sudden nikaona imevuka upande ule mwingine wa barabara, ikakutana kichwa kwa kichwa na lori. Mimi niko nyuma yake, nikaona sitarudiana nyuma. Mwishowe nikaona sasa langu ni kurusha gari yangu chini. Na ata ukiangalia gari yangu hapa imefanywa kuguzwa na hiyo matatu. Nilipoweka gari yangu kando nikajaribu kuvunja kioo. Ata kale katoto kamoja tumekaeka kwa gari pale ndio… nimevuja kioo na mkono.“

Patrick Atuyo, another witness, spoke about the scene when he arrived:

“When I was arriving, ndio walikuwa wanatoa miili kwa gari. It has been a very fatal accident whereby I witnessed a loss of so many lives.”

Samuel Ngugi added:

“Kila mtu akakufa ikabaki watu watatu; mtoto, na msichana na mzee mmoja.”

The accident caused a heavy traffic jam as vehicles backed up for several kilometres.

Highway crashes raise alarm

This tragedy comes only hours after another fatal crash on the same highway. On Saturday evening, six people died when an ambulance belonging to St Mary’s Elementaita was involved in an accident near Kimende in Kiambu County. Those who lost their lives included the patient, her husband, two relatives, a nurse, and the driver.

The series of accidents has once again raised concern over safety on the Nakuru–Nairobi Highway, one of Kenya’s busiest and most dangerous roads. The stretch between Gilgil and Naivasha has long been marked as a blackspot because of the high number of crashes recorded there each year.

According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), 3,397 people have died in road crashes in Kenya during the first nine months of 2025. Pedestrians accounted for the largest share of fatalities, with over 1,200 deaths. Motorcyclists, passengers, and drivers made up the remaining figures.

Road safety experts continue to urge drivers to follow speed limits and avoid risky overtaking, particularly on single-lane highways. Authorities have also called for stricter enforcement of traffic rules to reduce accidents along high-risk routes.