At least 17 people, mostly pilgrims, killed in Kenya road crash

What the report says

At least 17 people were killed in a multi-vehicle crash in Kenya’s Salama area, about 90 kilometres southeast of Nairobi, according to Al Jazeera citing police and local authorities. The accident happened after midnight on the highway toward Mombasa and involved a truck, another vehicle and a van carrying pilgrims.

Police said the crash began when a truck driver attempted to overtake another truck and collided with other vehicles. The van was carrying Catholic pilgrims travelling to a prayer site in Nakuru County, west of Nairobi. The van’s driver and 16 passengers died at the scene, with most of the victims reported to be women.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa said the group was on its way to a religious site, and Archbishop Martin Kivuva expressed grief over the deaths. President William Ruto also offered condolences to the families and the Catholic community. Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority said it had opened an investigation and sent inspectors to determine what happened.

The crash adds to concern over road safety in Kenya and more broadly across Africa, where fatal accidents are often linked by authorities and media to speeding, vehicle condition and road quality. The transport agency also described the stretch where the collision occurred as a known danger point.