At least 17 people have been killed in a grisly multiple-vehicle road accident at Salama in Makueni County along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.
The crash occurred shortly after midnight on Saturday, October 3, when a lorry reportedly lost control after its brakes failed and rammed into several vehicles, including a 14-seater matatu.
According to witnesses, the matatu was carrying passengers travelling to Subukia Shrine in Nakuru County for prayers when it was caught up in the collision.
Seven other victims were reportedly rushed to Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital for treatment following the accident.
Police and emergency responders were at the scene assessing the circumstances surrounding the crash, although the exact cause had not been fully established by the time of publication.
The accident caused a major traffic snarl-up along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, with motorists forced to seek alternative routes as authorities worked to clear the wreckage.
The fatal crash comes amid growing concerns over road safety in Kenya, with several serious accidents reported across the country in recent days.
On Friday, several people were injured in an accident involving two trailers in the Kapiti Plains area of Machakos County.
The trailers, which were travelling in opposite directions, collided, blocking both lanes of the highway and triggering a heavy traffic jam that lasted for up to 10 hours.
According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), more than 2,100 people were killed in road crashes across Kenya during the first half of 2026, representing an 11 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025.
The authority has identified human factors, including speeding, reckless overtaking, poor lane discipline and unsafe crossing points, alongside mechanical failures, among the major causes of road crashes.
