At least 17 people, mostly pilgrims, killed in Kenya road crash

The multi-vehicle clang occurred successful the Salama area, 90km southeast of Nairobi, sidesplitting mostly Catholic pilgrims.

At slightest 17 people, astir of them Catholic pilgrims connected the mode to a supplication site, person been killed successful a clang involving aggregate vehicles connected the road to the Kenyan coastal metropolis of Mombasa.

The clang successful the Salama area, astir 90 kilometres (about 55 miles) southeast of the superior Nairobi, happened aft midnight, constabulary said connected Saturday.

The clang occurred erstwhile a motortruck operator tried and failed to overtake different truck; that caused a collision with vehicles including a van carrying pilgrims, constabulary said.

Kenyan media reported that the pilgrims were travelling successful a 14-seater minibus.

The van’s operator and 16 passengers, astir of them women, died astatine the scene, constabulary said.

The pilgrims were going to a supplication tract successful Nakuru County, westbound of Nairobi, said Martin Kivuva, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa.

The archbishop said successful a connection that helium and others were “saddened with tons of grief” implicit the deaths.

President William Ruto offered condolences to the families, friends, parishioners and the full Catholic assemblage “who are mourning this achy loss”.

Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) launched an probe into the crash.

The NTSA said it dispatched investigators “to found the afloat circumstances starring to the collision”.

But it noted that the agelong of roadworthy wherever the clang occurred is simply a known “black spot” and that “recommendations person been made to code information concerns” regarding the route.

Road accidents are a occupation crossed Africa. In Kenya and elsewhere successful the region, the accidents are often blamed connected poorly maintained vehicles, excess velocity and mediocre roadworthy conditions.

Kenya recorded 5,009 roadworthy postulation deaths past year, portion 2,150 deaths were reported successful the archetypal six months of 2026, section media reported, citing numbers from the NTSA.