16 people lost their lives in a road accident on Sunday afternoon, September 28, near Kikopey in Gilgil, along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway.

13 victims were confirmed dead at the scene, while three others who had sustained critical injuries later died in the hospital. Among those who passed away on Monday were two children.

Nakuru County Police Commander Emmanuel Opuru said the victims were traveling in a 14-seater matatu bound for Nakuru when it collided head-on with a truck.

“The matatu was overtaking and then it rammed into the trailer, causing 13 fatalities and three others seriously injured,” he said on Sunday.

Reports indicate the group had hired the vehicle in Nairobi to attend a family function. An investigation is underway to uncover more details about the fatal crash.

Meanwhile, on Monday, September 29, another accident occurred on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway near Gilgil, leaving motorists and thousands of travellers stranded.

The accident, which occurred just a day after a series of similar crashes on the same section of road, caused a massive traffic jam along one of Kenya’s busiest highways.

Eyewitnesses reported that the collision involved two lorries between Kikopey and Gilgil. The impact left the road blocked, forcing recovery teams to work for hours to clear the wreckage.

In recent days, the Nakuru-Nairobi highway has gained a grim reputation for deadly accidents, with concerns pointing to reckless driving, congestion, and the road’s condition.

Just last Friday, thousands of travellers were stranded near Gilgil after a crash involving several vehicles, including a truck that overturned and completely blocked the highway.

Tragedy struck again on Saturday night when an ambulance carrying a patient crashed, killing all six occupants instantly. The wreck was reduced to twisted metal, leaving no survivors.

As of September 2025, data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) shows that 3,397 people lost their lives in road crashes within the first nine months of the year.

In total, 17,270 people were affected through deaths, serious injuries, and minor injuries, which is about 291 more compared to the same period in 2024.