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Kapiti crash survivor recalls waking up to smoke and darkness after deadly collision
07th July, 2026 08:53 PM
A survivor of the deadly Kapiti road crash has recalled the terrifying moments after the bus was involved in the accident along the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
Sylvia Wafula said everything changed after the bus suddenly braked. The crash claimed at least six lives and left many others injured.
“Mimi niliskia tu bus ikishika break, nikashtukia naona moshi, naona giza giza, nikajua tu mtoto wangu alikua, bahati mzuri kumbe kiti ilikua imemlalia,” Sylvia Wafula said. (“I just heard the bus brake, then I suddenly saw smoke, and everything went dark. I immediately thought something had happened to my child. Luckily, I later realised a seat had fallen on the child.”)
Sylvia explained that she feared for her child after the crash. She said the smoke and darkness made it difficult to understand what had happened. She later realised her child had been covered by a seat.
Another survivor, Kennedy Lumumba, also shared what he witnessed during the crash. He said the driver tried to avoid the collision but was unsuccessful. He also spoke about the injuries suffered by a young child.
“Dereva alijaribu kuhepa lakini alishindwa. Huyu mtoto mdogo macho yake iliingia kiio, inafaa aende theatre,” Kennedy Lumumba said.
Police reveal cause of crash
Police have since shared fresh details about what caused the deadly accident. According to investigators, one of the lorries was overtaking before the collision occurred. The accident happened near Kapiti Plains in Machakos County at about 1:50 am on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
The crash involved a bus, two lorries and at least three other vehicles. Police said the overtaking lorry triggered a chain of events that led to the fatal collision. Rescue teams and officers responded to the scene after the accident.
Authorities explained that the first impact caused one of the lorries to lose control. The vehicle then moved into the path of an oncoming bus, leading to a head-on collision. The force of the impact also affected several other vehicles.
“It was so serious that on the spot, we had 6 people who died and others sustaining serious and minor injuries. The trapped bodies have been retrieved from the bus and taken to Machakos Level 5 hospital,” Kalama Sub-County police commander Patrick Gaitirira said.
