Nine injured as bus rolls in Lamu

Nine people were injured after a Lamu bound bus veered off the road and rolled at Koreni area on the Lamu-Mombasa highway on Sunday morning.

The nine included two children and seven adults.

The Simba coach bus had 10 passengers when the accident happened at around 9.30am.

The accident was caused by a breakdown of the front leaf spring of the vehicle, which made it lose balance.

Passengers, however, said the bus driver was speeding before the accident happened.

“He was so fast and I knew something would happen and it wasn’t long before he started struggling with the wheel and we rolled, ”one of the survivors said.

Lamu West OCPD Juma Londo confirmed the accident and said those injured were rushed to Mpeketoni Hospital.

Londo said out of the 10 people on the bus, only one escaped unhurt.

“We understand there was an issue with the main leaf spring on the front part of the bus and so when it broke off, the bus lost control and rolled several times. The injured were discharged and have proceeded with their journey,” said Londo.

He urged drivers to remain keen and observe all traffic rules while plying the road so as to avoid similar incidents.

“The road is currently under construction and some parts have so many big potholes, you cant over speed here unless you want to cause an accident,” he said.

The poor state of the Lamu-Garsen highway has seen many accidents happen on the route.

In November 2018, four people were injured after a Tawakal bus heading to Lamu from Mombasa with 47 passengers on board rolled at Katsaka Kairu area.

In October 2018, five people were injured when a Simba Coach bus heading to Nairobi from Mpeketoni with 50 on board bus collided head-on with a lorry at Witu area.

That same month of October, a Mombasa Raha bus with 45 people on board veered off the road and skid into a thicket at Witu area.No one was injured.

In December 2017, several people were injured when a Simba Coach bus veered off the road.

In 2016, one person died and scores others were injured when their bus rolled severally at Mkunumbi area.