At least 13 people lost their lives and three others sustained serious injuries on Sunday, September 28, in a tragic road accident near Kipopey in Gilgil, Nakuru County.

The crash occurred along the busy Nakuru–Nairobi highway when a 14-seater Public Service Vehicle (PSV) matatu collided head-on with a trailer truck.

Confirming the incident, Nakuru County Police Commander Emmanuel Opuru said preliminary investigations established that the matatu, which had been hired from Nairobi by a family heading to Nakuru for a function, was attempting to overtake when it struck the oncoming lorry.

“The matatu was overtaking and then it rammed into the trailer, causing 13 fatalities and three others seriously injured. Fatalities have been rushed to Gilgil Sub-county Mortuary and the seriously injured to Gilgil Hospital,” Opuru told reporters.

CCTV Footage Captures Last Moments

Heart-wrenching CCTV footage has since emerged, shedding light on the final moments before the fatal impact.

In the video seen by hivileo.co.ke, the PSV matatu is captured swerving into the opposite lane while overtaking before smashing into the trailer, leaving no chance for its occupants.

The tragedy has reignited concerns over reckless driving and overtaking along the highway, one of the country’s deadliest road stretches.

Separate Ambulance Accident Claims More Lives

In a related road tragedy, all occupants of a St. Mary’s Hospital Elementaita ambulance perished after the vehicle was involved in an accident on the same highway.

Authorities reported that the ambulance, which was ferrying a patient, the husband, two other family members and medical staff, collided with a heavy commercial vehicle under unclear circumstances.

Emergency responders confirmed that no one in the ambulance survived the crash.

The two fatal incidents, which happened along the Nakuru–Nairobi highway within hours of each other, have intensified calls for stricter enforcement of traffic rules, improved road safety campaigns, and stricter monitoring of public service and emergency vehicles.

Rising Road Carnage

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) recently reported that 3,397 Kenyans have died in road crashes since January 2025 — 28 more than during the same period last year.

Pedestrians account for the highest fatalities, followed by passengers and motorcyclists.

With Nakuru County emerging as a hotspot for fatal crashes, the NTSA and law enforcement agencies are under pressure to enforce safety measures to prevent further loss of lives.

Photo of IG Douglas Kanja. PHOTO/ National Police Service X Account