Ann Koome
Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport Davis Chirchir has extended his heartfelt condolences to the grieving families, friends, and the wider Catholic community following a horrific multi-vehicle crash at Salama along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.
The tragic accident, which occurred on Saturday, October 3, 2026, claimed the lives of 17 people, including 16 pilgrims from the St. Mathias Mulumba Catholic Church, Mikindani Parish in Mombasa, and their driver. The parishioners were traveling to the National Shrine in Subukia, Nakuru County, for the annual National Prayer Day when their 14-seater matatu was involved in a devastating collision.
According to police and hospital officials, the crash happened shortly after midnight at the Mlima Kiu area in Salama, a notorious blackspot on the busy highway. Preliminary reports indicate that a truck suffered brake failure, lost lane discipline while overtaking a fleet of vehicles, and rammed into oncoming traffic, triggering a catastrophic chain of collisions that crushed the pilgrims’ matatu.
All 13 occupants of the matatu, alongside four individuals in the truck, died at the scene. Several other survivors were rushed to Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital with various injuries.
In an official ministerial press statement, CS Davis Chirchir expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, noting that every life cut short on the roads is a painful reminder of a collective national responsibility.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Roads and Transport, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, relatives, friends, parishioners, and the entire Catholic community following this devastating loss,” Chirchir stated, while wishing a swift recovery to the injured survivors.
In response to the tragedy, the Transport Ministry has instituted immediate measures:
• The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), alongside the National Police Service, has dispatched a multi-disciplinary team to Salama to comprehensively audit the mechanical fitness, compliance, and roadworthiness of all vehicles involved.
• Chirchir announced that the government is moving to redesign and dualize critical sections of the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway to eliminate dangerous curves and bottlenecks that cause low visibility.
• The CS strongly cautioned motorists against reckless overtaking, urging strict adherence to lane discipline and legal speed limits, particularly on known transit corridors.
The national government, alongside local leadership, has pledged full support to the affected families in Mikindani to help with funeral arrangements and the transportation of bodies for burial.
