By Robert Mutasi 
One person has been confirmed dead and several others injured after an exhaust truck lost control and rammed into six boda boda riders along the Eldoret-Malaba Highway on Friday morning.
The accident occurred near the IVC Church, causing a major traffic snarl-up along the busy highway as police moved in to secure the scene and restore normal flow of vehicles.
Turbo Sub-County Police Commander Patrick Wekesa confirmed the fatality, saying the body of the deceased had been moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) mortuary as investigations into the crash continue.
“The body of the deceased has since been moved to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary as investigations continue,” Wekesa said.
He said police officers were working to establish the exact circumstances under which the exhaust truck lost control before colliding with the boda boda operators who were operating along the roadside.
According to eyewitnesses, chaos erupted moments after the crash after the truck driver allegedly attempted to flee the scene. A group of boda boda riders who were at the scene pursued the vehicle, caught up with it and set it on fire in retaliation.
The confrontation later spilled onto the highway, where the irate riders barricaded the Eldoret-Malaba road, disrupting traffic for hours. Motorists plying the route were forced to slow down, with some diverting to alternative routes as tension escalated.
Police were forced to intervene to contain the situation and prevent a further clash between the boda boda operators and the truck driver.
Wekesa warned boda boda riders against taking the law into their own hands, urging them to allow security agencies to handle road accidents through legal channels.
“We are warning boda boda operators against taking the law into their own hands. Anyone who witnesses an incident should report it to the police and allow the law to take its course,” the police commander said.
He noted that investigations would seek to establish what caused the truck to lose control, the speed at which it was travelling, and the events that followed immediately after the collision.
Wekesa also appealed to members of the public to remain calm and avoid actions that could further endanger lives or worsen traffic disruption along the highway.
The accident comes amid growing concern over road safety along major highways in Eldoret and its environs, where heavy commercial trucks, matatus, private vehicles and boda boda riders share congested roads.
By the time of publishing, the identities of the deceased and the injured riders had not yet been released.
Eldoret Leo