A public service vehicle and a commercial truck collided head-on near Kanga, just past Mtito Andei on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway, on the morning of Sunday 25 October 2026. The crash killed 24 people. Several others were injured and taken to hospitals in Makueni County.
The bus, belonging to Power of the Word Church International, was carrying passengers returning to Mombasa after a burial in western Kenya. Preliminary reports from the National Transport and Safety Authority indicate the vehicles met head-on. Investigators say improper overtaking may have contributed. One survivor told reporters the bus driver appeared sleepy in the moments before impact.
Makueni County officials confirmed the majority of the deaths occurred at the scene. The rest followed in hospital. Bodies were taken to local mortuaries while injured passengers received treatment at Mtito Andei and Makindu facilities.
NTSA data show Kenya recorded 3,995 road deaths between 1 January and 4 October 2026, an average of about 14 fatalities each day. The authority reports roughly 20,000 crashes and more than 5,000 deaths annually. Pedestrians and motorcyclists account for a large share of the toll. Vehicle condition contributes to about 17 percent of incidents. The Nairobi-Mombasa corridor contains multiple known black spots, including sections near Salama and Mtito Andei. Another crash on the same highway earlier in October killed 17 people.
NTSA has formally called for road crashes to be declared a national disaster. The authority says the classification would unlock coordinated funding, clearer accountability across agencies, and measurable targets for police, health services and county governments.
Investigations continue jointly between NTSA and police. Further details on the exact sequence of events and the condition of the vehicles are expected in the coming days.