Kirinyaga: Residents of Mwea Constituency have raised concerns over an increase in road accidents involving miraa vehicles in the region.

Speaking during the burial of Geoffrey Kinyua Nyaga who was killed by a miraa vehicle before angry residents set it on fire at the Kianjiru trading centre along the Mwea-Embu Highway, the locals led by Mathani Kaboi said the increasing number of accidents were worrying.

Kaboi claimed this year alone, residents of Mwea Constituency have buried 21 people who have been killed in accidents involving miraa vehicles.

"The community can no longer endure this tragic toll,” Kaboi said during the burial at Kimbimbi village in Mwea-East sub-county on Thursday, February 6.

He stated that some accidents involving miraa vehicles are usually reported while others go unreported.

During Kinyua’s burial, tears flowed as his casket was lowered into the grave.

Angry mourners voiced their frustration, urging the government to take immediate action against miraa vehicles responsible for the many tragic losses. The vehicles are always accused of speeding.

“On January 27, the pick-up transporting miraa killed our friend and residents became angry and retaliated by setting the pick-up truck on fire. We want to end this madness,” another resident, Mungai Ruru said.

Peter Kabibu said in December 2024, another miraa accident in the area killed two children from Kithogondo village and two cousins from Karuangi village and the security team did nothing.

“We are urging our leaders to intervene and pass a law burning miraa vehicles from this route,” Kabibu said.

On Monday, February 3, Kirinyaga County Commissioner Hussein Hallow led a security team in a meeting with stakeholders at Piai Trading Centre and Ngurubani Town to address the rising number of miraa-related accidents.

He emphasised the need to tame reckless drivers on the busy Mwea-Embu highway to prevent further loss of innocent lives.

Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that two people lost their lives in a tragic head-on collision between a Probox carrying miraa and a lorry along the Meru-Nairobi Highway near Njuri.

The accident occurred around noon on Wednesday, January 29, when the Probox, travelling from Embu, lost control while descending and collided with an oncoming lorry from Chuka.

Chuka OCPD, Paul Kuria, confirmed the incident, stating that the Probox was speeding at the time of the accident.

The impact of the collision left both vehicles severely damaged, with the Probox almost completely wrecked. OCPD Kuria described the accident as particularly severe due to the force of the crash.

Story by Valary Akoth, TUKO.co.ke correspondent

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke