The death toll has risen to at least 49 after a truck carrying a trailer hit a road yesterday in western Kenya, where rescue operations continue, the government confirmed this Saturday.
According to local media, the Kenyan Minister of Roads and Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen, reported this Saturday the increase from 45 to 49 deaths in the accident, which took place around 6:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. GMT) in the Londiani crossing, in Kericho county, reports Efe.
Murkomen has visited the scene today from where he declared that the truck involved in the accident was not Kenyan property, but was registered in Rwanda.
“It is difficult to know now if the truck was roadworthy, as we will have to involve the Rwandan government in this matter,” the minister pointed out.
Murkomen has also assured that he will give indications so that the roads are designed in such a way that there is space around them for open markets in a country where it is common, as in many other places in Africa, for small traders to stand on their sides to sell their products.
According to the regional commissioner of the Rift Valley, where Kericho is located, Abdi Hassan, 30 people were also injured in the accident, while Kenyan media reported last night that more than sixty were rushed to different hospitals in that county and neighboring Nakuru.
For his part, the country’s president, William Ruto, affirmed yesterday Friday through the social network Twitter that “the country is in mourning with the families who have lost their loved ones in a terrible traffic accident.”
Ruto stressed that “it is heartbreaking that some of the fatalities are young people with a promising future and businessmen carrying out their daily chores” and asked drivers “to be more cautious on the roads, especially now that we are experiencing heavy rains.” .
The truck driver apparently lost control and ran over pedestrians, shopkeepers and matatus (collective transport vans) who were parked on the side of the road, according to eyewitnesses.
