5 dead, several injured as matatu collides with trailer along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway

An accident along the Eldoret-Nakuru Highway has claimed five lives and left several others injured.

Reports indicate that five people died on the spot after a 14-seater matatu collided head-on with a trailer ferrying ballast at Kondoo area on the morning of Saturday, October 31

Witnesses recounted that the matatu was ferrying passengers from Eldoret to Nakuru when it collided with the trailer that was heading in the opposite direction, killing five people instantly.

The matatu was reduced to a mangled wreck, its entire front section crushed and twisted by the force of the head-on collision.

Shattered glass, torn metal and a badly deformed cabin reflected the severity of the impact.

Good Samaritans joined emergency rescue teams and the police at the scene to assist survivors of the horror crash who were taken to nearby hospitals.

Investigations have been launched to establish the cause of the accident which adds to a growing tally of tragic crashes and lives lost on Kenyan roads.

The accident comes barely a week after a similar tragedy claimed at least 24 lives on October 25, 2026 along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.

A bus that was ferrying mourners from a funeral collided with a trailer in the Kanga area, past Mtito Andei, resulting in mass casualties.

In a trend that mirrors past tragedies, politicians and relevant government officials issued terse statements directing relevant authorities to ensure thorough inspection of public service vehicles to enhance road safety.

"I take this opportunity to urge all drivers, especially those operating public service vehicles, to exercise utmost caution and observe traffic rules to safeguard lives. I further direct all relevant authorities to ensure thorough inspection of public service vehicles to guarantee compliance with safety standards so that accidents can be eliminated," President William Ruto directed.

Three weeks before the tragedy, an accident along the same stretch of the road claimed at least 17 lives, with several others injured.

The multi-vehicle accident that occurred on October 3, 2026 involved a matatu that was ferrying pilgrims from St Mathias Mulumba Catholic Parish in Mikindani, Mombasa to the Subukia National Shrine in Nakuru County for the National Prayer Day.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has since identified evening and late-night hours as the deadliest period on Kenyan roads.

NTSA has since launched a new road safety campaign that checks motorists on breathalyser screening for drink-driving, speed monitoring, functional speed limiters, PSV documentation, passenger and load limits, valid licences, and seatbelt use.

The nationwide safety initiative dubbed “Msimu Bila Ajali, Usalama Barabarani,” is an aggressive push designed to curb escalating road fatalities and clamp down on rogue motorists as travel intensifies.