At least 17 people, including 15 Catholic pilgrims, have been killed in a road crash in Kenya after a minivan carrying the worshippers collided with a truck near Salama on the highway to Mombasa.
The fatal crash occurred in the early hours of Saturday when the truck driver reportedly attempted to overtake another vehicle, resulting in the collision with the minivan.
Justus Mwanzia, a member of the county assembly, said the minivan was carrying 14 pilgrims and its driver, all of whom died in the crash. Three occupants of the truck were also killed.
The pilgrims were travelling to a prayer site in Nakuru County, west of Nairobi, according to Martin Kivuva, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa.
Archbishop Kivuva expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, saying he and the Catholic community were grieving the loss.
The crash has renewed concerns over road safety in Kenya, where authorities have repeatedly warned motorists against speeding, dangerous overtaking and failure to observe lane discipline.
Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) said the section of road where the accident occurred had been identified as a “black spot” and that recommendations had already been made to address safety concerns there.
The agency urged motorists to exercise extreme caution, avoid dangerous overtaking and strictly observe lane discipline.
Road accidents remain a major safety concern across Kenya and other parts of Africa, with poorly maintained vehicles, excessive speed and hazardous road conditions frequently cited among contributing factors.
President William Ruto has expressed condolences to the victims’ families, friends, fellow parishioners and the wider Catholic community following the tragedy.
