A collage of wrecks from accidents that have rocked the country in the last 72 hours.Kenya is reeling from a devastating string of tragedies that have claimed 48 lives in separate air and road accidents over just three days, leaving families shattered and communities in mourning.
The horror began on Thursday, August 7, when a Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) staff bus collided with a Kenya Railways train at a railway crossing near the Morendat Training and Conference Centre (MTCC) in Nakuru county.
Nine people died in the accident — four Kenya Pipeline Company staff from the Morendat Training and Conference Centre and five from a contracted cleaning service provider.
The bus had been ferrying 32 staff members who were coming off the morning shift.
Those injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, while the critically hurt were airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment.
“We are collaborating with various government agencies to determine the cause of the accident and will update the public in due course,” Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said in a statement.
Barely 24 hours later, the country was rocked by news of a light aircraft crash in Mwihoko, on the outskirts of Nairobi.
The Cessna plane, operated by Amref Flying Doctors, had taken off from Wilson Airport on Friday afternoon bound for Hargeisa, Somalia, before it crashed and burst into flames.
Six people died in the tragedy — four on board, including doctors, nurses and the pilot, as well as two people on the ground. Two others sustained serious injuries.
In a statement on Saturday, Amref Health Africa identified those onboard as Captain Muthuka Munuve, Captain Brian Kimani Miaro, Dr Charles Mugo Njoroge, and Nurse Jane Rispah Aluoch Omusula.
“This is an immense loss not just to the Amref Health Africa family, but to the entire nation. These were not just professionals; they were heroes. We are coordinating closely with government pathologists and investigative authorities to ensure a dignified and accurate identification process for all victims," the statement read.
The charity said it remains committed to transparency and accountability and will continue to share updates as they become available.
Amref Flying Doctors CEO Stephen Gitau noted that the crash occurred on the 68th anniversary of the charity’s work in Kenya, which began in 1957, responding to emergencies.
“We can confirm that the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR), initially reported missing, have now been recovered and will be vital tools in aiding the ongoing investigation,” Gitau said.
He appealed to locals who may have found parts of the still-missing FDR to surrender them to aid the probe.
On Friday evening, tragedy struck again when a bus transporting mourners overturned at the Coptic Roundabout in Kisumu, killing 21 people on the spot.
By Saturday morning, the death toll had risen to 26, with several others in hospital fighting for their lives.
The grisly accident occurred along the Kisumu–Kakamega Highway as the bus attempted to negotiate the roundabout.
Health Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga, speaking at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) late Friday, confirmed that 28 patients, including a child, were still admitted.
The victims, from Nyakach, were largely relatives and friends returning from the funeral of a family member in Nyahera.
The bus, belonging to AIC Naki High School, reportedly lost control, veered off the road, and plunged into a ditch.
Before news of the Kisumu tragedy could settle, another deadly crash was reported early Saturday in Kitengela.
Seven people died in the collision involving a matatu and a lorry at Korompoi area along the Kitengela–Isinya road.
Witnesses described the crash as “nasty,” with police saying it was a head-on collision caused when one of the vehicles tried to overtake a fleet of cars and rammed into an oncoming vehicle.
The seven victims died on the spot, while the injured were rushed to hospital, some in critical condition. Police warned that the death toll could rise.
Outraged residents blocked the busy highway, demanding urgent measures to address what they termed as a growing menace on the roads.
The series of tragedies has plunged the nation into mourning, prompting renewed calls for road safety enforcement and thorough investigations into the accidents that, in just 72 hours, have claimed 48 lives and left dozens more injured.
