Three students from Kenyatta University were confirmed dead after a 33-seater matatu overturned in Kibwezi along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.
Speaking on Friday, March 20, Chyulu Assistant Commissioner William Tonui confirmed that the three died on the spot.
Tonui explained that the accident occurred when the driver lost control as he tried to avoid hitting a pedestrian crossing the highway.
"The vehicle rolled multiple times in the Machinery area. Three people died on the spot, and others sustained injuries," he stated.
Tonui confirmed that six passengers sustained injuries and were rushed to Kibwei Sub-County Referral Hospital, where they received treatment.
Read More
Survivors were successfully pulled out of the wreckage by officers from the Kenya Red Cross and an emergency response team from the Machakos County Government.
He stated that the bodies of the deceased were ferried to the Makindu morgue, awaiting identification by family members and autopsies.
The 33-seater matatu belonging to the Lopha Sacco was towed to the Kibwezi Police Station, where further investigations into the accident will be conducted
Preliminary reports indicate that the students were on an excursion trip to the Coast, where they planned to visit Mombasa and Kilifi Counties
The accident re-ignited the debate on whether or not the 33-seater matatus, which are predominantly used within Nairobi, should be used for long-distance travel.
Kenyans further questioned whether the drivers of the vehicles operating within Nairobi and its outskirts were well-equipped to drive over long distances.
According to a report by the National Police Service, at least 398 people have been killed in road accidents in 2026 as of January 31.
