Eleven individuals are feared dead following a collision involving a Super Metro bus traveling from Kampala and a lorry on the Kisumu-Nairobi Highway in Ahero.
The casualties comprise two women, eight men, and a teenage boy, with an additional 53 passengers sustaining injuries, as confirmed by Allan Mwangi, the Nyanza Regional Traffic Enforcement Officer.
Distressingly, reports suggest that two drivers and a conductor affiliated with the bus Sacco may have lost their lives in the grim accident. The collision occurred when the bus attempted to overtake a sugar-laden lorry along the Ahero-Awasi road at a location known as Othoo.
The incident transpired on Monday, January 29, around 2:30 am, and emergency response from the Kenya Red Cross led to multiple injured individuals being transported to Ahero Sub-county Hospital, while critical cases were transferred to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The Kenya Red Cross is actively engaged in providing psychosocial support and managing a tracing desk for those involved in the accident. Grace Thuo, the sub-county commander based in Nyando, has also confirmed the incident.
Expressing condolences, Super Metro Sacco, responsible for the ill-fated bus, acknowledged the unfortunate event.
“As the Super Metro family, we regret to inform the public that one of our buses on the Kampala-Nairobi route was involved in an accident before Awasi along the Kisumu-Nairobi Highway. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish a speedy recovery to those hospitalized,”
This tragic incident follows shortly after the bus received long-distance travel permits, allowing the Sacco to operate beyond Nairobi.