Gachagua to grace prayers for Londiani crash victims

At least 52 people were killed with scores injured in the Friday evening accident

In Summary
  • The prayer service to be presided over by church leaders from various denominations will be held at the Londiani trading centre.
  • Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when the truck driver lost control of his vehicle as he tried to avoid ramming into a stalled bus.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua
Image: RIGATHI GACHAGUA/TWITTER

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua will today join leaders during a memorial service of the Londiani crash victims in Kericho.

The prayer service to be presided over by church leaders from various denominations will be held at the Londiani trading centre.

At least 52 people were killed with scores injured in the Friday evening accident that involved a truck and several passenger vehicles.

Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when the truck driver lost control of his vehicle as he tried to avoid ramming into a stalled bus.

A multi-agency team has since been formed to investigate the cause of the accident.

Speaking on Saturday at the accident scene, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the team will comprise the National Transport Safety Authority, the police department and different ministries.

The scene of road crash that left 52 people dead and scores injured at Londiani Junction market in Kericho along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.
The scene of road crash that left 52 people dead and scores injured at Londiani Junction market in Kericho along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.
Image: FILE

He said the cause of the accident in terms of the culprit truck's condition had not been established adding that a team from the Traffic Police, DCI and NTSA were already on the scene to collect all the data relating to the vehicle for analysis.

The CS who described the accident as the second worst after the Sachangwan tanker explosion said the truck is registered in Rwanda, with a Rwandese driver and conductor.

“One cannot imagine that there are any situations in the past apart from Sachagwan where many people that were not in the same vehicle died in a single accident. This is huge and very painful to imagine,” he said

“Remember that this is a transit vehicle, it is assumed that it was going to Rwanda and the data about it do not end with the data collected on the Kenyan roads and we need the support of neighbouring countries to give more information about its status.”

“The special prayers will be in honour of the victims and their families as we continue to come to terms with the terrible happenings of the Friday evening at Londiani junction,”Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot said Sunday 

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