At least 10 people were Sunday night killed in a road accident near Chabera Trading center in Rachuonyo East, Homa Bay County.
Police said six others sustained serious injuries in the accident that occurred at about 8 pm on Sunday.
The accident happened when the Nissan matatu they were travelling in collided head-on with a lorry that was moving from Oyugis towards Katito.
The fatalities are six women and four men, including the matatu driver, police said.
Police said the accident occurred after the lorry driver lost control and veered into the matatu’s lane, leading to the head-on collision.
The matatu carried members of a church from the neighboring Nyamira County who were traveling from Kakamega County, where they had attended a wedding of their members.
Rachuonyo East Sub-county Police Commander Laban Omol, who confirmed the accident, said that the driver of the lorry disappeared after the accident.
The injured persons were rushed to Rachuonyo South Sub-county Hospital in Oyugis Town for medication.
The police boss urged motorists to be careful on the road during the festive season to avoid similar accidents.
The bodies were moved to Rachuonyo South Sub-county Hospital Mortuary as the matatu, and the lorry were towed to Othoro Police Station.
This increased to 22, the number of people who were killed in separate accidents on Sunday alone in the country. The victims included 10 passengers, five pedestrians, four riders, two drivers and a pillion passenger.
The accidents left 24 people with serious injuries. Police said they included ten passengers, seven pedestrians, four riders, two pillion passengers and a driver. The injured were admitted to various hospitals for medical attention.
Police said they are investigating the accidents.
They came after eight other people were killed on Saturday along Kericho-Nyamira road in Ekerenyo area.
They come at a time when there is concern over increased accidents in the country.
At least 4,458 were killed in separate road accidents between January and December 2025, data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) show.
By December 2, a total of 4,458 people had lost their lives on the roads, surpassing last year’s figure of 4,311 recorded by end of year.
The statistics highlight the growing menace on the roads with pedestrians continuing to bear the greatest burden, with 1,685 deaths recorded.
Drivers accounted for 403 deaths, while 723 passengers perished in various crashes involving private vehicles, buses, and matatus.
The high number of passenger fatalities raises concerns about speeding, overloading, and non-compliance with safety regulations among public service vehicles.
Motorcycle-related fatalities also remained alarmingly high.
At least 1,148 motorcyclists died, along with 432 pillion passengers, underlining the continued risks associated with boda boda transport in this period.
Some 67 pedal cyclists died in the period, NTSA said.
NTSA is urging road users to exercise caution.
Officials say reckless overtaking, speeding, and drunk driving remain among the leading causes of road accidents across the country, continuing to claim lives despite sustained public safety campaigns by NTSA.
Mechanical failures from poorly maintained vehicles, including worn tyres and faulty brakes, have also been identified as significant contributors to the growing number of crashes. In addition to driver negligence, poor road conditions—such as potholes, confusing signage, and inadequate lighting—make travel increasingly hazardous, particularly at night.
Furthermore, poor enforcement of traffic laws, coupled with some incidents of corruption at roadblocks, has allowed traffic offenders to operate with impunity, further worsening the problem on Kenyan roads.
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