One person died and several others were injured in a road accident at Kamatira black spot area along Kapenguria-Lodwar highway. The lorry involved in the early morning accident was transporting relief food with World Food Program branded bags to the neighbouring County of Turkana before its brakes failed. Five school children who were on the road escaped death narrowly.
It took the efforts of Kenya Red Cross volunteers and the police more than five hours to remove the body which was trapped in the lorry that had overturned.
Speaking to press this morning at the scene of the accident, West Pokot Traffic Commander Mr. Elijah Teeka said the brakes of the truck failed, causing it to roll over. He said drivers who aren’t familiar with the road are involved in accidents because of its steepness.
Teeka said the area is an accident hot spot and called on the government to put road signs on the road to avert deaths.
He said police are doing investigations to affirm and determine any further causative of the accident.
Area chief Stephen Lokato said many accidents have occurred in the area since the road was constructed and asked the government to intervene to avert further accidents. He also said the road can’t be used to transport heavy loads. “Many people have lost their lives and we urge the government to intervene,” he said.
The injured were rushed to Kapenguria County Hospital while the body of the deceased was taken to Kapenguria District hospital.
West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo, who was on his way to a local function, accused former regimes of failing to redesign the road despite the government allocating money for the reconstruction of the road.
