The man who was hit and killed by a car in President William Ruto’s motorcade at Adams Arcade, Ngong Road, Nairobi was a British national, Edgar Charles Frederick, aged 79.
Police said the car involved in the accident was that of the Regional Commissioner in Nairobi.
The car has been identified and detained for probe.
It was part of the president’s convoy and racing ahead when it hit and killed the man as he crossed at a zebra crossing oblivious of the oncoming vehicles.
The British High Commission in Nairobi was informed of the incident, police said. The motorcade was racing towards Kibera as the president embarked on his fourth day of the tour of Nairobi when the accident happened Thursday March 13.
Police and witnesses said the driver involved in the accident did not stop. Other officers said this was not possible because of security reasons. This is because the president’s car was behind few meters away.
The incident attracted a mob at the scene before police arrived to pick up the body to the mortuary pending autopsy and identification.
Police said they are investigating the accident. Police spokesman Michael Muchiri issued a statement and confirmed investigators are on the case.
“Following a road traffic accident that occurred today at Adams Arcade along Ngong Road involving a government vehicle, which resulted in the death of a pedestrian who is a foreign national, the National Police Service (NPS) is now handling the matter, and investigations have commenced,” he said.
The incident caused a traffic snarl-up in the area.
Presidential cars usually move at high speed for among others security reasons. The president is expected to continue with his tour of the city on Friday.
He will visit in Eastlands, Makadara, Buruburu, Umoja, Kayole and Embakasi. Police have ordered full coverage of the trip. This means more police officers will be deployed on the routes he will use in his trip and security will be tight.
His tour in the past days has been marred with chaos with goons attacking and robbing pedestrians and motorists.
The goons were mobilized by politicians to accompany or attend the events. Police said they have arrested some of them.
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