Night crash near Voi brings Nairobi–Mombasa Highway to a halt

A collision between a truck and a trailer late on Sunday night, August 24, brought traffic along the busy Nairobi–Mombasa Highway to a complete standstill.

The accident happened near Kanga bridge, between Voi and Mutitu, after the two heavy vehicles rammed into each other, blocking both lanes.

The crash, which occurred in the middle of the night, quickly created a snarl-up stretching several kilometers on both sides of the road. Long-distance buses, cargo trucks, and private cars were stuck for hours as police and rescue teams rushed to the scene.

By the morning of August 25, officials were still at the site of the accident. No official statement had been released confirming whether there were injuries or fatalities.

The Long-Distance Drivers and Conductors Association, in a brief update, said: “An accident has occurred at Kanga bridge between Mutitu and Voi. No traffic movement on both sides.”

The crash comes at a time when concerns over road safety remain high. Just last week, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir released a report highlighting poor road conditions, reckless driving, and poorly maintained vehicles as the leading causes of accidents in the country.

“Our findings show that dilapidated infrastructure, reckless behavior on the roads, and vehicle defects remain the biggest causes of fatalities,” Chirchir noted. He added that the government is working with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to identify and fix blackspots and called on motorists to strictly follow KS 372:2019 vehicle safety standards.

With schools reopening across the country, Chirchir also reminded drivers to be extra careful on the roads. “Drivers and motorcyclists must ensure their vehicles are well maintained, appropriately licensed, and that they drive slowly around educational institutions,” he said.

The Nairobi–Mombasa highway has seen a string of accidents in recent weeks. On Saturday night, just hours before the Voi crash, 15 people were injured in Mombasa after a public service vehicle collided with a cargo truck at Kibarani.

According to the Kenya Red Cross, members of the public helped rescue the victims and rushed them to nearby hospitals. The humanitarian agency later confirmed that the injured were stable and that the road had been cleared to ease traffic.

August has already been one of the deadliest months on Kenyan roads.

Since the start of the month, about 50 people have lost their lives in crashes, including 27 killed on August 8 when a school bus belonging to AIC Naki High plunged into a ditch at the Coptic Roundabout in Kisumu.

With accidents continuing to claim lives and cause injuries, pressure is mounting on authorities and motorists alike to improve safety on Kenya’s roads.