The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 3, 2026, NTSA Director General said the team had been deployed to support the National Police Service in establishing what led to the accident, including examining the vehicles involved and assessing compliance with safety requirements.
The authority confirmed that several other people were injured in the crash and are receiving medical treatment.
NTSA urged motorists using the highway to exercise heightened caution as investigations continue. Drivers were particularly advised against dangerous overtaking and reminded to maintain proper lane discipline.
The authority identified the Mlima Kiu-Salama section as a known blackspot and noted that recommendations had previously been made to improve road safety along the corridor.
The NTSA Director General conveyed condolences to the families, friends and others affected by the tragedy.
The crash happened early Saturday morning at Mlima Kiu in Salama, Kilome. Police and Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Stephen Mwangangi said the accident involved a 14-seater matatu, two lorries and several other vehicles.
According to officers at Salama Police Station, the incident began when a lorry travelling from Nairobi towards Mombasa was allegedly overtaking and failed to remain in its lane. The lorry reportedly struck the rear right side of another lorry before its driver lost control.
The lorry then collided with an oncoming Peugeot and a Toyota Noah before moving into the climbing lane, where it crashed head-on into a PSV matatu.
It subsequently collided with a Nissan UD travelling from Mombasa towards Nairobi, bringing the series of collisions to an end.
Police said the matatu driver and 12 passengers died at the scene. The lorry driver and three occupants of the lorry also died, bringing the confirmed death toll to 17.
Dr Mwangangi described the incident as a chain of collisions involving several vehicles.
“It was a chain of accidents,” he said, explaining that the collision between the lorry and another lorry triggered a series of crashes, culminating in the head-on collision involving the matatu.
Several people were injured in the accident, resulting in significant traffic congestion along the busy highway.
Dr Mwangangi said seven injured people were taken to Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital. Six of them sustained soft-tissue injuries and were treated before being discharged.
One of the lorry drivers was among those hospitalised after suffering serious head and abdominal injuries. He was stabilised and transferred to Makueni County Referral Hospital for further treatment.
Dr Mwangangi said 14 bodies had been taken to the hospital mortuary, while three additional bodies were transferred to another mortuary in the area.
Police documented the accident scene before the wrecked vehicles were towed to the Salama Police Station yard. The vehicles will remain there pending inspection as investigations into the cause of the crash continue.
Eastern Regional Police Commander Stephen Chebet confirmed that investigations were ongoing and urged motorists to exercise greater care while using the roads.
NTSA said its investigations would continue as the authority works with the police to establish the full circumstances of the deadly crash.
