Three killed in two separate crashes on Mwea-Embu highway

According to police, the first accident occurred near the Mutithi-Kandongu junction, where a boda boda rider and his pillion passenger were crushed by an unknown vehicle while heading towards Ngurubani from the Mutithi direction.

The two died on the spot, and their identities remain unknown.

The matter was reported at Wang'uru Police Station by a member of the public.

The second incident happened at Murubara, where a woman was killed after being hit by a vehicle heading to Embu from Ngurubani that did not stop. No one recorded the vehicle's number plate.

Residents said the woman had been arguing with a boda boda rider ferrying her before she attempted to cross the road and was knocked down.

"The woman was seen arguing with a boda boda rider who was ferrying her, and all of a sudden she decided to cross the road when she was knocked down, but the boda boda rider ran away," said Samuel Muthike.

Murubara residents said the accident occurred a few metres from the spot where ten people were killed by a parcel delivery van last month. According to Peter Gacu, the woman was first hit by a speeding lorry that did not stop, before a matatu heading to Meru ran over her and also fled the scene.

Residents who use the busy highway, led by Mutithi boda boda chairman Hesbon Mwangi, called for more speed bumps and street lighting to be installed along the route, noting that rubble strips had only been erected at Murubara following last month's fatal crash.

"The two who were crushed near the Mutithi junction are not known, but their bodies and the motorcycle were removed by Wang'uru traffic police officers. We need street lights because this is not the first accident," Mwangi said.

Other residents said the highway has claimed many lives over time. Joseph Waweru said he survived being hit by a lorry near the Research area, which fled the scene, and was discharged from hospital only last week. He called on the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to act against careless driving on the highway.