Nine die, several injured in New Year’s day accidents

Nairobi. Four people, among them two brothers and their cousin, died early morning on New Year’s Day in Machakos when their vehicle veered off the road and rolled several times.

The four were among seven people who were returning from the Machakos Park where they had gone to usher in the New Year.

Their van lost control and rolled near Maanzoni at 6.00am on January 1, 2014.

Machakos Deputy County Police Commander Joseph Ole Leina said police were yet to establish why the van lost control but he said the driver might have been driving at a high speed.

“Two of the fatalities died on the spot while the other two died at the Machakos Level Five Hospital where they had been taken for treatment,” Mr Leina said.

Three other people who were also in the van and who were injured were transferred to the Kenyatta National Hospital following a request from their families.

The accident pushed to nine, the number of people who died on the first day of 2015, after another five people died along the Naivasha-Nakuru highway.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) said that although fatal accidents reduced by nine per cent in 2014, the number of deaths were still high.

NTSA Road Safety Director, Matthew Munyao said a total of 2,907 people died in 2014 compared to 3,218 who died in 2013.

The authority estimates that a total of 19 people died over Christmas countrywide just between December 24 and December 26, 2014.

“Last year, within the two days of Christmas, there were 54 deaths” Mr Munyao said adding that the accident that happened in Migori where five family members died was reclassified.

According to the authority, close to 3,000 people died on Kenyan roads as a result of accidents over the past one year. (NMG)