Kenya bus-truck crash kills 22 on Nairobi-Mombasa highway
Synopsis
A head-on collision between a passenger bus and a tipper truck near Makueni, Kenya, has killed at least 22 people — the second major fatal crash on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway in two weeks. The bus was reportedly carrying mourners returning from a burial when the driver lost control attempting to overtake, pushing the corridor's recent death toll to at least 39 in a fortnight.
Key Takeaways
At least 22 people were killed and 6 others hospitalised after a bus-truck collision near Kanga, Makueni County , on 25 October .
The passenger bus was carrying 45 people returning from a burial ceremony when it reportedly lost control while overtaking.
Makueni County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif confirmed the death toll and said all six injured were admitted to hospital.
A separate crash on the same highway two weeks earlier killed 17 people , bringing the corridor's recent toll to at least 39 deaths .
The NTSA reports approximately 4,000 Kenyans die in road accidents annually despite ongoing safety campaigns.
At least 22 people were killed and six others hospitalised on Sunday, 25 October, after a passenger bus and a tipper truck collided head-on along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway in southeastern Kenya. The crash, one of the deadliest on this corridor in recent weeks, occurred at approximately 7:45 am local time near the Kanga area of Makueni County.
How the Crash Unfolded
Makueni County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif confirmed that the bus — carrying 45 passengers returning from a burial ceremony — was travelling from Nairobi toward Mombasa when it reportedly lost control while attempting to overtake a line of vehicles. The bus skidded off course and slammed into the oncoming tipper truck. The violent impact temporarily brought traffic to a standstill along the key transport corridor, drawing emergency responders and onlookers to the scene.
'Unfortunately, a total of 22 passengers from both vehicles have been confirmed dead, while six others injured have been admitted to hospital,' Commissioner Khalif said.
A Highway With a History of Fatal Accidents
The Nairobi-Mombasa highway has seen a sharp spike in fatal crashes in recent weeks. Just two weeks earlier, a multi-vehicle collision on the same route claimed 17 lives, raising urgent questions about road safety enforcement along one of Kenya's busiest transport arteries. Sunday's crash brings the corridor's recent toll to at least 39 deaths within a fortnight.
This comes amid intensified public awareness campaigns by Kenya's National Police Service and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), which have been targeting road users ahead of the December festive season — historically the deadliest period on Kenyan roads.
Kenya's Broader Road Safety Crisis
According to the NTSA, approximately 4,000 Kenyans lose their lives in road accidents every year, despite ongoing safety initiatives driven by both government agencies and private-sector stakeholders. Speeding, overloading, and reckless overtaking are among the most frequently cited causes.
In a separate incident in August, at least seven people — six men and one woman — were killed and 28 others injured when a minibus veered off the Kalamba-Kalembwani earth road in Maumba, eastern Kenya, plunging approximately 500 metres down an escarpment. The driver was unidentified at the time, according to police.
What Happens Next
Authorities are expected to investigate the cause of Sunday's crash, with reckless overtaking the apparent trigger, according to the county commissioner's account. The NTSA's road safety campaign is likely to face renewed pressure to translate awareness into enforcement, particularly on high-risk intercity corridors. All six injured survivors remain under hospital care as of the latest reports.
Point of View
With a combined death toll of at least 39, expose the gap between Kenya's road safety campaigns and ground-level enforcement. The NTSA's awareness drives ahead of the festive season are welcome, but awareness alone does not stop reckless overtaking on a high-speed intercity corridor. With 4,000 deaths a year, Kenya's road toll is a slow-moving public health emergency — and the Nairobi-Mombasa highway is its sharpest illustration. Until enforcement, vehicle fitness checks, and driver licensing are consistently applied on these routes, the body count will keep climbing regardless of campaign messaging.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people were killed in the Kenya bus-truck crash on 25 October 2026?
At least 22 people were confirmed dead and six others were hospitalised after a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a tipper truck near Kanga, Makueni County, on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway. The bus was carrying 45 passengers at the time of the crash.
What caused the Kenya highway crash on 25 October?
According to Makueni County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif, the bus reportedly lost control while attempting to overtake a line of vehicles, skidded off course, and collided with the oncoming tipper truck. Reckless overtaking is cited as the apparent trigger.
Who were the passengers on the bus?
The bus was reportedly carrying passengers returning from a burial ceremony when the collision occurred near Kanga on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway. It had 45 passengers on board at the time.
Is this the first major crash on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway recently?
No. A separate multi-vehicle crash on the same highway approximately two weeks earlier killed 17 people, making Sunday's collision the second major fatal accident on the corridor within a fortnight.
How many people die in road accidents in Kenya each year?
According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), roughly 4,000 Kenyans lose their lives in road accidents every year. The NTSA and National Police Service have been running public awareness campaigns ahead of the December festive season, historically the deadliest period on Kenyan roads.
