A weekend of celebration turned into tragedy in Murang’a County after a 14-seater matatu plunged into the Kiama River on Saturday night, October 25, 2025, killing six people. Five of the deceased were members of the same family from Gatunguru village, Gatanga Constituency, who were returning from a joyous dowry negotiation ceremony in Kiambu County.

The accident occurred around midnight along the Chomo-Kahunyu Road at the Wacengu Bridge. According to survivor and driver Patrick Kiarie, the vehicle lost its brakes moments before the fatal plunge. "The driver announced that the brakes had failed," recounted survivor Julius Waruingi, a sentiment echoed by others who described moments of panic before the vehicle crashed into the river. Another survivor, Simon Kamau, highlighted the hazardous condition of the bridge, stating, "that bridge is bad, it has no guardrails and if it is not fixed it will cause many more accidents."

Murang’a County Commissioner Charles Muriithi confirmed the details on Sunday, stating that the injured were rushed to Kirwara Level Four and Murang'a Level Five hospitals for treatment. A police report identified five of the victims as Amos Kihara Kamau, Alice Wambui Mwangi, Elijah Kamau Macharia, Peter Mwangi Macharia, and Paul Karanja Macharia. An unidentified woman also perished in the crash. Murang'a County Health Chief Officer Eliud Maina reported that the vehicle was carrying 16 adults and one minor. In total, eleven people survived with varying degrees of injuries, with two reported to be in critical condition.

Local leaders expressed their grief and called for action. Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu described the incident as a "heartbreaking tragedy" and urged the community to unite in prayer and support for the affected families. Kariara Ward MCA Gichobe Mbatia, who had helped the family facilitate their trip, expressed his shock upon hearing the "devastating news."

A National Crisis on Local Roads

This tragic incident is part of a grim statistic of rising road fatalities across Kenya and specifically in Murang'a County. Police data revealed that the weekend of the crash saw a nationwide death toll of 23 from various accidents. Authorities attribute the surge in crashes to reckless driving, speeding, poorly maintained vehicles, and inadequate road infrastructure.

Recent data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has consistently ranked Murang'a among the counties with the highest rates of road accident fatalities and serious injuries. A 2023 KNBS report noted Murang'a as having one of the highest numbers of deaths due to road traffic injuries per 100,000 population. This has prompted local law enforcement to initiate road safety campaigns, including sensitisation programs for school children.

The Chomo-Kahunyu road where the accident occurred is one of many rural roads that residents and leaders say require urgent safety upgrades, including the installation of guardrails on bridges. In response to the high number of accidents, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) announced in March 2025 that it would conduct a safety audit on several major roads, including the Kenol-Murang'a-Sagana-Kagio highway, to identify and manage blackspots. However, smaller feeder roads like the one at Wacengu Bridge often remain overlooked.

Police have launched a formal investigation into the cause of the crash as the community prepares to mourn the lives lost in an incident that has once again highlighted the perilous state of many Kenyan roads.