Several Feared Dead in Tragic Road Accident Involving Miraa Vehicles and Boda Boda
Several people are feared dead following a road accident involving two miraa transport vehicles and a boda boda at Makutano-Mwea along the busy Embu-Nairobi highway in Kirinyaga County earlier today.
The collision occurred in the early hours of September 14 when the two miraa-laden vehicles, reportedly heading towards Nairobi at high speed, collided near Makutano before one veered off the road and crashed into an oncoming boda boda rider.
Both the boda boda rider and one of the miraa vehicle drivers died on the spot.
Local authorities and traffic police responded swiftly to the scene, where they facilitated the clearance of the wreckage as seen in a video by The Kenya Times.
Preliminary reports point to possible reckless driving and speeding, common concerns raised in relation to miraa transport, which is often conducted under time pressure to preserve the freshness of the commodity.
“There were two vehicles ferrying Miraa. They were moving very fast. In the process, a boda boda rider was hit, and the driver also lost his life,” said one witness at the scene.
Another witness confirmed the vehicles were racing for miraa markets in Nairobi.
“They were speeding and overtaking recklessly. One of the cars met a motorcycle coming from the opposite direction as it overtook a tuk-tuk. There was no space. The car collided head-on with the boda boda rider, who died on the spot,” the witness said.
Mood Accident
In another accident, first son George Ruto’s popular matatu, Mood, which was heading to the Maili Tisa Park and Chill event when it got involved in an accident.
Photos seen by The Kenya Times, captured a traffic police officer assessing the damage caused as part of the investigations into the accident.
Mood was observed with a dent where the 14-seater matatu had crashed into it from behind.
George’s Ksh 14 million matatu was launched in a colourful ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Friday, July 18.
Accident Report in Kenya 2025
The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) report showed that 5,856 people were involved in road crashes between January 1 and March 31.
NTSA noted that the figures show a decrease of 1,908 cases compared to the same period in 2024.
Out of this, 1,139 people lost their lives, 3,316 individuals sustained serious injuries, while 2,693 suffered minor injuries.
Road crashes claimed 420 pedestrian lives in the first quarter of 2025, making them the most vulnerable road users, though the figure dropped from 434 in the same period last year.
Various crashes also killed 189 passengers and 83 drivers, both numbers lower than the 243 passengers and 94 drivers who died in 2024.
However, motorcycle crashes claimed more lives, with 301 motorcyclists dying, up from 274 the previous year.
