Kibirigwi: Three people lost their lives and three others sustained serious injuries on Thursday evening after a vehicle rammed into six pedestrians at Kibirigwi Trading Centre, along the Sagana-Karatina Road in Ndia, Kirinyaga County.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kirinyaga West Sub-county Police Commander Julius Gaya reported that the accident occurred at around 5 p.m. The incident involved a Toyota Wish driven by an Italian national, identified as Scavo Nicola Antonio. Among the victims were three pupils from Kibirigwi Primary School.
Police stated that the driver was traveling from Karatina towards Sagana when he lost control of the vehicle, veering off the road and striking six pedestrians standing on the left side of the road at the trading center. All the victims sustained multiple injuries and were rushed to Kibirigwi Health Centre for emergency treatment.
A three-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries while receiving treatment at the health center. Three other victims-a 24-year-old man, a 63-year-old woman, and another woman-were later transferred to Karatina General Hospital for specialized care. The 24-year-old man later died while undergoing treatment, and the 63-year-old woman was pronounced dead on arrival at Jamii Hospital in Karatina after being referred from Karatina General Hospital.
The three survivors, all girls aged between nine and 11 years and pupils at Kibirigwi Primary School, are currently receiving treatment at Karatina General Hospital. The accident triggered protests from angry residents, who attempted to attack the driver before police officers intervened and escorted him to safety. The vehicle was left at the scene as security personnel contained the situation.
The incident caused a major traffic snarl-up along the busy highway, disrupting movement between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Motorists traveling between Nairobi and Karatina were forced to seek alternative routes as police worked to restore order. Later in the evening, Police Commander Julius Gaya and Kiine Location Chief David Githinji addressed residents and appealed for calm, enabling normal traffic flow to resume at around 10 p.m.
The Toyota Wish was subsequently towed to Sagana Police Station, where it will remain pending inspection and further investigations. As the community mourns the victims, residents have renewed calls for the completion of a pedestrian footbridge along the dual carriageway. They argue that delays in the project have contributed to a series of accidents in the area and continue to put lives at risk.
