Fifteen people died while over 14 others are in critical condition after a bus and minibus collided head on at Kwamkikuyu area about 14 kilometres from Malindi town along the main Mombasa Malindi highway.
The 7.30 am accident involved a Muhsin bus from Mombasa heading to Garissa and a minibus belonging to Sabaki Sacco from Marereni that was heading to Mombasa.
Kilifi county commissioner Kutswa Olaka who was among those at the scene confirmed that 15 people had died, 14 on the spot and one upon arrival at the Malindi sub county hospital.
Witnesses said the bus allegedly being driven at a high speed was trying to overtake when the driver lost control and collided head on with the minibus causing the tragic accident.
Hundreds of residents turned up at the scene to witness the accident as several people were trapped in the buses for over two hours.
When journalists arrived at the scene about four people including the drivers of both the buses who died on the spot were still trapped in the wreckage .
A combined effort by the police, well-wishers, Kenya red cross and the Kilifi county government tried their best to rescue the victims who are in a bad state and rushed them to Malindi hospital.
Those trapped had to wait for breakdown to tow the bus so as to remove the bodies which were in bad state .
Locals blamed a contractor expanding the main highway for delay in filing an area that was excavated and abandoned for several months leaving the narrow road raised.
Traffic along the Main Malindi Mombasa highway was interrupted for several hoyurs following the tragedy but police later managed to open up and control movement of the vehicles.
Among the dead are reportedly said to be county government employees who normally board the bus to Kilifi every morning.
Olaka who was accompanied by the county Commander Nelson Talit said they had talked to the engineer in charge of the road and told him they were not satisfied by the speed at which the work was being done.
‘’We urge the contractor who is Bayusuf together with the government institution in charge of roads to speed up the road construction to reduce accidents in the area,’’ he said.
The County Commissioner also condemned members of the public who were out to loot from the scene and interfere with people who wanted to save lives.
He urged those with no work to keep off such an accident scene adding that one person had been found stealing a laptop from one of the buses.
A simba coach driver who was at the scene also blamed the contractor of the road expansion saying had it not been for him to excavate the road it would not have led to the accident. “He excavated the road and abandoned it for a long time which has caused this accident,’’ he said.
Wanjiru Ngugi a resident also asked the government to speed up the road expansion of the road to reduce such loss of lives. “We have lost children and their mothers, it is sad and we just pray that this road is completed to avoid such tragedy,’’ he said.