Three perish in grisly road accident

Kisumu, Wednesday, 17, May, 2023,

KNA By Chris Mahandara

Three people died on the spot after a truck fell off from Kasagam fly over along Kisumu-Nairobi Road.

In the Tuesday evening incident, the truck which was heading towards Kondele fell on a tuktuk which was carrying passengers from Ahero to Kisumu city.

According to the Nyanza Police Traffic Boss Mwangi Ng'ang'a, the drivers of the truck and tuk tuk and a female occupant of the tuktuk perished in the accident. 

Ng'ang'a said the truck which was transporting gumboots to Uganda lost control while navigating the flyover.

Curious members of the public milled at the scene; Police officers were forced to lob teargas canisters to disperse the crowd causing a heavy traffic snarl up along the busy Kisumu-Nairobi Road. 

Police managed to remove the bodies from the wreakeage and moved them to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue.

Ng'ang'a said the flyover was a black spot since several accidents of a similar nature have been recorded.

As a short-term measure, Ng’an’ga traffic police officers will sensitize motorists to exercise caution while approaching the flyover.

Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Nyanza Regional Director Eng. Julius Mak'oderoh blamed the increase of accidents along the flyover to human error.

According to Mak'odero, the flyovers have been designed to be navigated at a speed not exceeding 40 kmph.

Most of the truck drivers, he said had a tendency of freewheeling to save on fuel and while approaching the flyover they overspeed to gain momentum to climb.

"A vehicle going beyond the set speed limit on the flyover will certainly fall off," he said.

Mak'odero said KeNHA has mounted a crackdown to rein in on the drivers who not only endager lives but destroy the road infrastructure.

Courtesy; K.N.A