Busia: New Year Celebrations Turn Tragic As Driver Ploughs Into Pedestrians Returning From Church

• Three people were killed when a car rammed into pedestrians returning from a New Year church service along the Bumala-Butula road at midnight
• The private car, reportedly overspeeding, claimed the lives of two female congregants on the spot, with other pedestrians sustaining various injuries
• Angry residents took justice into their own hands, attacking and killing the driver, a retired military man, and setting the car on fire

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Busia - Three people have been killed after a car rammed into pedestrians returning from a New Year church service.

According to the police, the accident happened at around midnight along the Bumala-Butula road.

The private car was claimed to have been overspeeding, with reports suggesting the driver might have been inebriated.

Among those killed in the crash were two female congregants who died on the spot, while others sustained various injuries.

"He met people from the church who were celebrating on the road and killed two women," said an angry resident.

The angry residents descended on the private vehicle's driver, a retired military man, killing him and setting the car on fire.

The bodies of the dead are being preserved at the Butula Mission Hospital

How could the accident in Busia have been evaded

A section of the residents blamed the national and county governments, accusing them of failing to put measures in place to control speed on the road.

One of them observed that there were no bumps on the road over long stretches, and most signs were missing.

"From Butula to Murumba, we don't have bumps. There are no bumps on this road. That is something we have been monitoring, and we are still monitoring it now, but no one is listening to us. If we had bumps, incidents like these wouldn't happen. Moreover, we don't have road signs. There are no road signs on this road. So, these are things that have contributed to accidents on this road," he said.

Kiambu father, son killed after car rams into their house

In a separate incident, Kiambaa residents in Kiambu county were left in shock after a vehicle veered off the road and rammed into a house, killing a man and his son.

A witness said the father and his son were sitting outside their house on Monday, June 7, when the incident happened. The driver of the vehicle lost control after landing in a ditch.

The vehicle veered off the road and rolled several times up to where the duo was seated, knocking and killing them instantly.