SEVENTEEN KILLED IN MULTI-VEHICLE CRASH ON KENYA'S MOMBASA ROAD

A crash involving multiple vehicles on the highway between Nairobi and the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa killed 17 people early on Saturday, officials said. Police said the collision happened after midnight in the Salama area when a lorry driver attempted to overtake another truck and failed, causing the truck to collide with several vehicles, including a van carrying pilgrims. The van's driver and 16 passengers, most of them women, died at the scene, according to police. Most of those killed were pilgrims travelling to a prayer site in Nakuru County, west of Nairobi, said Martin Kivuva, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa. Archbishop Kivuva said he and others were "saddened with lots of grief" over the deaths. Kenyan President William Ruto offered condolences to the families, friends, parishioners and the wider Catholic community affected by the crash.

Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority said the stretch of road where the crash occurred was a recognised "black spot" and that recommendations to address safety concerns there had previously been made. The agency called on motorists to exercise extreme caution, avoid dangerous overtaking manoeuvres and observe lane discipline strictly. Road crashes are a recurring problem across Kenya and the wider region, with poorly maintained vehicles, excessive speed and poor road conditions frequently cited as contributing factors in such incidents.

The safety authority's comments point to longstanding concerns about the specific stretch of road where Saturday's crash happened, given its designation as a known danger spot. Officials have not said whether further measures will now be taken to address the location beyond the recommendations already made. President Ruto's office confirmed his condolences were extended on behalf of the government to those mourning the loss. No further details on potential charges against the lorry driver were given by police.