At least twenty six teachers were injured and one killed on Saturday after a speeding matatu lost control and rammed into a crowd at the entrance of Nairobi City Primary School, where Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) elections were underway.
The teachers had gathered outside the school to take part in the union’s electoral exercise when the vehicle reportedly veered off the road and ploughed into them, killing several on the spot and leaving many others seriously injured.
Eyewitnesses said the matatu appeared to be moving at high speed before the driver lost control under circumstances that are yet to be established. The impact triggered panic at the polling venue, with victims scattered along the roadside as fellow teachers and members of the public rushed to offer help.
Police officers, ambulances, and Nairobi County emergency response teams were quickly deployed to the scene. The injured were rushed to various hospitals across the city, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to mortuaries pending formal identification.
Authorities have since launched investigations to determine the cause of the crash, with police indicating that factors such as speeding, mechanical failure, or driver negligence are being considered. The matatu driver was arrested to assist with investigations.
The tragic incident has cast a pall over the KUPPET elections, prompting an outpouring of grief from union officials, education stakeholders, and colleagues who described the deceased as teachers who had gathered to peacefully exercise their democratic rights.
The accident has also renewed calls for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, particularly near schools and areas hosting public events.
