Senior prison officer, daughter die in Konza road rash

Senior Superintendent of Prisons Alex Kazungu Mbitha,

A senior prison officer and his teenage daughter were killed in a road accident along the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway at Konza in the early hours of Tuesday.

The crash occurred at about 3.30am and involved a Beiben truck, registration number and a Mitsubishi Mirage.

According to police, the Beiben, driven by 52-year-old driver, was travelling from Nairobi towards Mombasa when it allegedly failed to keep to its proper lane and collided sideways with the Mitsubishi travelling in the opposite direction.

The Mitsubishi was being driven by Senior Superintendent of Prisons Alex Kazungu Mbitha, 45, who was attached to Mombasa Remand Prison Station.

Mbitha and his 14-year-old daughter, Claire Heri, sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.

Three other occupants of the Mitsubishi were injured in the crash.

Mbitha’s wife, suffered a head injury, while 15-year-old boy complained of chest pains. His son aged 23, sustained a head injury.

The injured survivors were rushed to Machakos Referral Hospital for treatment.

The bodies of Mbitha and his daughter were also moved to the hospital mortuary, where they are being preserved pending postmortem examinations.

Police officers from Salama Traffic Base visited the scene and documented the accident.
The two vehicles were towed to Salama Police Station for inspection as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash continue.

The police attributed the collision to an alleged failure by the Beiben driver to maintain his proper lane, although investigations are expected to establish the circumstances that led to the fatal side-impact collision.

The accident comes amid continued concerns over road safety along the busy Nairobi–Mombasa Highway, particularly during the night and early-morning hours when visibility and driver fatigue can contribute to serious crashes.