Video: Reckless Driver nearly causes accident performing dangerous 'manyoka' stunt on busy Kenyan road

A viral video of a souped-up van nearly causing an accident has angered Kenyans.

In the clip, whose exact date is unclear, a reckless driver performs a "manyoka" stunt on a busy highway. Sharp swerve. Tight curve. Lights flashing.

The stunt almost turned fatal as the van swerved left to right and nearly collided head-on with a silver car coming the other way.

The driver of the silver private car had to slam the brakes hard and swerve off the road.

Footage from the incident spread fast online with many lashing out at the National Transport and Safety Authority for not acting despite video going viral online.

And for many Kenyans, the video comes at the worst possible time because "manyoka" isn't just internet slang anymore. It's a courtroom matter.

Also called "nyoka-nyoka", Swahili for snake, it's a driving style popular in some matatu and "nganya" circles. Sharp swerves. High speed. Sudden manoeuvres. All for the thrill, and the views.

The vehicle slithers side to side across the road. Hence the name.

On June 3, 2026, a matatu was cruising along Enterprise Road in Nairobi's Industrial Area, near the Dar es Salaam Roundabout, at about 8pm.

It never made it through.

Eyewitnesses and video footage reportedly showed the vehicle swerving erratically before it lost control, hit the kerb, flipped, and landed across the road.

The prosecution's charge sheet names three passengers who died on the spot: Charles Brandy Wahome, Tamia Kalekye Nyambura, and Edwin Kago. Other reports put the toll higher. Dozens more were injured.

The vehicle: an Isuzu minibus, registration KDU 887C, operated by Risen Sacco.

One account, from the victim's family, says the driver attempted manyoka at one roundabout, survived it, then tried again at the next, and lost control.

A different account, attributed to police, says the driver swerved to avoid a motorcycle that cut in without giving way.

The manyoka angle comes largely from witnesses and survivors. And the formal charges reflect that: they're for dangerous and careless driving, not a distinct "manyoka" offence, because no such offence exists in Kenyan law.

The driver vanished, then surfaced in Malindi

Driver Sammy Murigi Maina survived the crash. Then he allegedly disappeared.

For close to two months, as grieving families demanded justice, police searched. Then, on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, he was arrested, reportedly in Malindi, on the Coast.

The driver was later in a Nairobi courtroom before Principal Magistrate Paul Mutai. Charged with three counts of causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of careless driving, and one count of driving an unroadworthy vehicle.

Prosecutors objected to bail, citing outstanding warrants and no fixed address. The victims' lawyer backed that, telling the court investigators believed Maina was being shielded by others.

Maina remains in custody. The court is expected to rule on his bail application on September 24.

Two months after Enterprise Road. An active court case. Families still waiting for answers.

And now, a fresh viral video showing the exact same stunt, nearly claiming lives on a Kenyan highway, again.