13 injured in a head-on collision between two matatus in Ngoingwa - Thika

At least 13 people were injured, seven of them critically, after two 14-seater matatus collided head-on early Friday morning at Ngoingwa area near Kenchic, along the Thika–Mang’u Road.

The crash, which occurred shortly after 6am, involved a Mataara Sacco matatu heading towards Mang’u, a Thika Travellers Sacco vehicle en-route to Nairobi and a donkey cart ferrying water in 20 litres jerricans of water. The impact was so severe that the front sections of both vehicles were completely mangled, leaving several passengers trapped inside.

Both drivers sustained serious injuries to their legs, with one of them pinned inside the wreckage. Rescuers were forced to use axes to free him before he was rushed to hospital.

The Thika Fire and Rescue Team, together with emergency ambulances, responded promptly, ferrying the injured to nearby hospitals. No fatalities were reported.

The accident caused heavy traffic along the busy route, as shocked residents and passersby joined efforts to rescue victims.

Police officers who arrived at the scene said investigations are ongoing to establish the real cause of the crash, though speeding is suspected.