Drama as rogue boda boda riders burn bus after fatal accident in Salgaa

A group of rogue boda boda riders attacked and burnt a bus after it was involved in a fatal accident in Salgaa, Nakuru County.

The accident left a boda boda rider fatally injured after the bus belonging to Mash Cool hit him on Monday morning, police said.

Police said no one was injured in the accident or the subsequent drama, but property was burnt.

The bus was racing towards Eldoret direction from Nakuru when it collided with an oncoming rider.

This happened as the driver tried to overtake without due care of other road users, police said.

The Scania bus killed the rider on the spot forcing the driver to stop to attend to the scene at about 1 am.

Few moments later a group of other riders arrived at the scene and turned rowdy. This forced the bus driver to escape the scene as the passengers present disembarked.

The mob stoned the 65-seater bus and later set it on fire in anger.

Police arrived at scene moments later and found it on fire. Nothing was salvaged. It was burnt to a shell.

The passengers were taken to the local police station to report the matter before the wreckage was towed away hours later.

Police said they are investigating the incident.

The incident caused a huge traffic jam on the busy stretch for hours before normal traffic flow was restored, police said.

The incident, which left the bus completely destroyed and caused heavy traffic disruptions, has sparked condemnation from the Motorists Association of Kenya and renewed fears over the rising trend of mob justice by boda boda riders following road accidents.

This is the latest such incident to happen in the past two months. Up to five vehicles have been burnt by the riders after fatal accidents.

The incidents happened in the city and along Thika Road. They all remain under probe, police said on Saturday.

There are calls to regulate the boda boda industry at large as part of efforts to address such incidents.

Up to 14 people were Sunday killed in separate road accidents in the country.

Police said the victims included seven pedestrians, three riders, two drivers, a passenger and a pillion passenger.

At least 29 people were injured in the accidents. They included 13 passengers, six riders, six pedestrians, two pillion passengers and two drivers.

The incidents are under probe.