The Prince bus that rolled several times before veering off the road killing one passenger instantly at Shimalabandu along the Kakamega- Kisumu roda. [Photos I john Kabaka]

A child died and fifty one others sustained injuries when a minibus lost veered off the road and rested on an embankment on the road side at Shimalabandu along Kakamega-Webuye road six kilometers from Kakamega town.

The eleven year old girl died on the spot after she was flung out of the bus window on impact.

Dr James Akhonya who was on duty at the casualty department said the hospital had received 51 casualties of the accident.

He said 35 were treated of minor injuries and discharged while16 were admitted for observation for the next two days. Akhonya said that the passengers were injured because they had not put on seat belts.

“The fifteen we have admitted in stable conditions apart from two who suffered serious chest injuries,” said Akhonya.

Kakamega base commander Charles Rono said the rear tire of the bus detached before the driver lost control of it. 

It then swerved of the road and ploughed through thickets on the roadside before hitting an embankment where it rested.

Kakamega hospital doctors attending to one of the patients that were received from the accident.

The 42 seater bus was heading to Kakamega from Kitale. An eye witness Wycliffe Ngaira said the bus was overloaded when the accident occurred.

Police could not immediately establish the exact number of passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident because the driver and conductor fled from the scene. 

The local residents retreiving the rear tires of the bus.

The accident caused a traffic snarl up along the usually busy highway as villagers rushed to the scene and blocked the road as rescue mission of the survivors went on. Police had a hectic time trying to control the crowds who defied their orders to leave the road.