Eleven people were Saturday night killed in a tragic accident along Machakos – Kitui Road.

The accident took place when a 14-seater Matatu they were travelling in veered off the road and rolled several times at Kanyonyo in Kitui.

Lower Yatta deputy County Commissioner Rebecca Ndirangu said nine people died on the spot and two others succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at Kitui Level 5 hospital.

She said the matatu driver fled the scene after the accident and he is still at large.

Also Read: 11 people perish in grisly Kitui road accident

The accident happened at around 9.30 pm on Saturday night.

The driver is said to have been speeding to catch up with another vehicle ahead of him.

The victims were from a dowry payment ceremony and were returning to their homes at Kanyonyo in Lower Yatta, Kitui county.

“The accident occurred between Kathiani and Kathutu, three kilometres off Nairobi – Garissa highway junction. The deceased persons were coming from a dowry payment ceremony,” Ndirangu said in a phone interview with the Star.

“It was a self-involved accident. The driver of the matatu lost control and the vehicle veered off the road and rolled severally.” 

Ndirangu said all the victims were relatives and from the same village, while six of those who died were from the same family.

“It’s so unfortunate, especially with the fact that all the victims come from the same family and were from a ceremony, ” she said.

She said police had launched investigations into the incident and were hunting for the driver of the matatu.