A former NTV journalist was killed in a road traffic accident along Kiambu Road in Nairobi.
Police said Silas Apollo, who, at the time of his death was working with Nairobi Law Monthly was hit and killed by a speeding car on Thursday April 10 at night. The official added the Valley Road accident was the second one that night and the victim was not Apollo.
He was crossing the road on Kiambu Road when he was hit by a speeding car, an official said.
Details of the accident remained scanty but police said the journalist was not immediately identified and the driver of the vehicle that hit him also did not stop at the scene.
The case was initially reported as “unknown person hit by unknown vehicle’.
Police said that the motorist involved in the hit-and-run accident in Valley road did not stop and instead drove all the way to Langata police station where he reported that he had hit a dog within Kilimani area.
The officers at Langata were hesitant and contacted their Kilimani counterparts who confirmed that a middle-aged man had been killed.
They then detained the driver and the vehicle.
The vehicle was detained and inspected while the driver was released on a cash bail.
The body of the journalist was moved to the City Mortuary where his colleagues and family visited to confirm the same.
His friends said he lived along Thika Road where he is believed to have been headed at the time of the accident.
Many described him as a hard working journalist who was always determined to deliver.
He specialized in politics, current affairs and business reporting and had about 10 years of experience as a journalism, working both as a print and broadcast journalist.
Apollo’s passing comes weeks after another TV journalist Nick Mudimba was buried after collapsing at home and dying after a short illness.
Over 20 journalists have died in road accidents in the last five years including veteran journalist Ken Walibora.
In July last year, two radio presenters died on the spot following a road accident involving a motorcycle and a saloon car at Riandira Trading Centre along the busy Sagana – Makutano highway in Kirinyaga County.
Stephen Waigwa and Caroline Nyarwai Kamunya, both of Radio Thome, were headed home from Kutus town, where the radio station staff was having anniversary celebrations to mark four years since the station went on air.
On January 26 last year, Dickens Wasonga, a journalist with The Star newspaper also died in a road accident in Kisumu.
Wasonga, the then chairperson of Kisumu Journalists Network was driving alone when he rammed into a trailer along Mamboleo highway along the Kakamega-Kisumu road and he died on the spot.
Other journalists who have lost their lives in road accidents include former Nation Media Group editor Dan Otieno was also killed in a grisly accident at Uthiru on November 9, 2020,
Otieno was hit by an unknown vehicle around 9pm as he was crossing the road but the driver did not stop.
At the time of his death, he was working for a Public Relations (PR) firm in Westlands.
Former Nation journalist Maurice Juma Kaluoch died in similar incident.
At the time of his death, Kaluoch was the director of communication in Homa Bay County.
On April 10, 2020, renowned author and journalist Ken Walioula Walibora was killed in an accident along Landhies Road, Nairobi.
The death of Walibora 56 was however only discovered four days later when his body was found at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). Walibora, a linguist, was a polished broadcaster and prolific writer whose literary works will continue to inspire future generations.
On March 16 the same year, Christine Omulando 46, a sub-editor at the NMG’s The EastAfrican was also killed in an accident at Nairobi’s Khoja Mosque roundabout.
The death was discovered four days later when the body was found at the mortuary.
Two weeks before the death of Omulando, NTV news producer Raphael Nzioki was also killed in a hit-and-run accident at the intersection of Kenyatta Avenue and Kimathi Street.
Former NMG online editor Anthony Kariuki was also killed in an accident along Outering Road in Nairobi.
At the time of his death, Kariuki was working at the Office of the then Deputy President, William Ruto.
He was hit by a tourist van as he crossed the road to his Buruburu residence at night.
In December 2018, a former Nation Media Group writer Casper Waithaka also died in a road accident along Mombasa road.
At the time of his death, Waithaka was a communication officer at the East African Portland Cement.
Three weeks later, one of the Nations Information Technology (IT) staff, Winston Mogere, also died in a road accident.
The incidents have since been investigated.
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