NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 16 – Senior Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officer John Rioba was killed in a Naivasha crash after a truck allegedly lost control and triggered a devastating nine-vehicle collision at Karai along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway on Monday evening.
Rioba, a Senior Superintendent of Police and the County Criminal Investigations Officer (CCIO) for Nyandarua County, succumbed to injuries sustained in the collision that occurred at around 4.50 pm.
According to police and eyewitness accounts, the accident happened when a truck travelling from Nairobi towards Nakuru reportedly lost control and rammed into a Toyota Land Cruiser moving in the same direction.
The force of the impact pushed the Land Cruiser into oncoming traffic, triggering a chain-reaction collision involving seven other vehicles.
The crash ultimately involved nine vehicles, including lorries, matatus, private cars and an Isuzu D-Max being driven by the senior detective.
Police said Rioba sustained critical injuries and was rushed to Naivasha Sub-County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Among those injured was Uasin Gishu County MCA Regina Chumba, who complained of chest pains after the collision and was taken to hospital for treatment.
Authorities said the driver of the Sinotruk truck fled the scene immediately after the accident and is currently being sought.
Investigators have launched a manhunt for the truck driver as they seek to establish the exact circumstances that led to the crash.
The Naivasha crash has once again drawn attention to safety concerns along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway, one of Kenya’s busiest transport corridors and a route that has witnessed numerous fatal accidents in recent years.
Road safety experts have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations and improved vehicle inspections to reduce the number of fatal crashes along the highway.
