Two lorry drivers were killed in an early morning road accident at the Migaa blackspot along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway after one truck crashed into another from behind.
The accident occurred at around 1am, leaving both drivers dead at the scene, while a woman and a child who were travelling in one of the lorries sustained injuries and were rushed to Nakuru Provincial General Hospital (PGH) for treatment.
Molo Sub-County Police Commander Justus Katana confirmed the incident, saying the drivers of the two heavy commercial vehicles died on impact.
He said the injured woman and child were rescued from the wreckage and taken to Nakuru PGH, where they were admitted for medical attention. Their condition had not been disclosed by the time of reporting.
The circumstances that led to the collision had not been fully established, although initial reports indicated that one lorry rammed into the rear of another along the busy highway.
The accident has once again drawn attention to safety concerns along the Nakuru-Eldoret road, particularly at Migaa, an area that has been identified by local residents and transport operators as a dangerous section.
The incident has also renewed calls for the Government to speed up plans to expand the Rironi-Mau Summit highway, with concerns that narrow sections of the road continue to contribute to traffic difficulties and expose motorists to risks.
Salgaa Business Community Chairman Livingstone Sowe called on the Government to prioritise the expansion of the road, particularly the approximately four-kilometre Migaa-X-Margaret stretch.
Sowe said the section, which currently has only two lanes, has remained a major transport challenge for decades, affecting motorists travelling between Nakuru and other parts of the Rift Valley and western Kenya.
He urged Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir to take immediate steps towards expanding the stretch, arguing that improved road capacity would help ease congestion and address safety challenges experienced by road users.
According to Sowe, the narrow section often creates traffic difficulties, with motorists facing delays as heavy commercial vehicles, public service vehicles and private cars compete for limited road space.
He warned that continued delays in addressing the problem could leave residents and other road users exposed to further dangers, while also affecting businesses that depend on the highway for transportation of goods and movement of people.
The Salgaa business community is expected to increase pressure on the Government to address the concerns surrounding the four-kilometre stretch, which locals consider a major obstacle to smoother traffic movement.
The proposed expansion of the Rironi-Mau Summit road is expected to improve connectivity along one of the country's important transport corridors. However, residents and business operators say attention should also be directed towards specific sections that continue to experience traffic challenges.
The latest crash adds to concerns over road safety along the highway, particularly involving heavy commercial vehicles. It has also renewed demands for improvements to sections considered dangerous by local communities.
