Three killed as boda-boda, police vehicle collide in Meru

Three people were on January 21, 2020 killed after the motorcycle they were riding on collided with a police vehicle at Thimangiri market, on the Meru-Mikinduri road, Meru County. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • Imenti North police boss Robinson Mboloi said the boda-boda rider joined the road abruptly from a feeder road, giving the driver no chance to avoid the crash.

Three people were on Tuesday evening killed after the motorcycle they were riding on collided with a police vehicle at Thimangiri market on the Meru-Mikinduri road in Meru County.

Meshack Kirea, 26, Lewis Kinyua, 28, and Douglas Kaburia were travelling from Kirima Gitune to Meru town when their motorcycle collided head-on with a Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to Makutano Police Station in Tharaka-Nithi.

Kirea died on the spot while his passengers succumbed to their injuries at Meru Level Five Hospital.

Imenti North police boss Robinson Mboloi said the boda-boda rider joined the road abruptly from a feeder road, giving the driver no chance to avoid the crash.

However, local market chairman Japhet Kinyua blamed the driver of the police vehicle, saying he was speeding on the wrong lane.

“We blame the police officer for the accident; the public wanted to set the vehicle on fire but I pleaded with the angry mob not to take the law in their hands. We took the injured to hospital using the same vehicle,” said Mr Kinyua.

Imenti North boda-boda Association Chairman John Anthony Gikundi said the one-kilometre stretch was a blackspot and urged the government to erect bumps.

“There were more than 10 accidents on the stretch in December alone; we need urgent intervention,” he said.

The bodies were moved to the Meru Level Five Hospital mortuary.