Winstone Chiseremi and Zadock Angira

Eight people died on the spot in a grisly road accident that involved a PSV minibus and a van near Nangili market along the Eldoret-Kitale road.

The minibus was ferrying passengers from Luanda in Vihiga county to Matunda area along the border of Kakamega and Uasin Gishu counties when it collided head-on with the van that was heading to Eldoret town.

The driver and conductor of the ill-fated minibus and two passengers of the van, which was ferrying goats for a Christmas party in Eldoret, were among those who perished in the accident.

An eye witness, who declined to be named, said the minibus driver was trying to avoid hitting sheep that were crossing the road when he rammed into the oncoming van.

Matunda OCPD Boniface Bukhala said eight people, who include a woman and her child, had been confirmed dead.

He said the injured were taken to Likuyani Sub-county Hospital ahead of their transportation to Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret for specialised treatment

“It is unfortunate that eight people, among them the driver and conductor of the minibus, driver and turn boy of the van, and a woman and her child, were among the victims who died on the spot following the head-on collision accident along the Kitale-Eldoret route,” said Bukhala.

The bodies were taken to MTRH mortuary for identification by the next of kin and relatives.

Meanwhile, a police officer based at Shauri Moyo Police Station was yesterday morning killed in an accident along the Southern Bypass near the General Service Unit (GSU) training school.

Police said Constable Nickson Kiprono was crossing the road when he was hit by a Toyota Fielder driven by a Jackline Nzioki,who was heading from Embakasi Barracks to Utawala at around 2am.

The officer was rushed to Nairobi West hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.