At least 24 people have died and 24 others are nursing injuries after a church bus collided head-on with a cement truck at Kanga, near Mtito Andei in Makueni County, in one of the deadliest crashes on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway this year.

The accident happened early on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at about 7am according to People Daily and 7.45am according to K24 Digital. The bus, which belonged to The Power of the Word Church International, was headed towards Mombasa with mourners returning from a burial in western Kenya.

Mourners returning from bishop's burial

K24 Digital reports that the passengers had attended the burial of Bishop Isaiah Kiganane at Marakusi village in Kakamega County. The bus had 52 people on board.

Makueni County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif first confirmed about 20 deaths at the scene. The toll rose through the day as more of the injured died in hospital. Makueni County Chief Officer for Medical Services Alex Makau later said 19 people died at the scene and five others died while receiving treatment, bringing the total to 24.

The injured were taken to hospitals in Mtito Andei, Kambu and Makindu. Medical staff said they struggled to identify some of the dead because identification documents and personal belongings were lost in the wreckage.

Overtaking and fatigue under scrutiny

Early reports show the bus was overtaking a line of vehicles when it crossed into the opposite lane and hit the oncoming truck. The county commissioner said the driver lost control before the collision. The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) said its preliminary findings point to improper overtaking, though it has not given a final cause.

Preliminary reports cited by K24 Digital say the driver had been at the wheel for more than 16 hours since leaving Lugari in Kakamega County, with no second driver to take over. Survivors told reporters the bus had been swaying before the crash, and one passenger claimed the driver appeared drowsy. Investigators have not confirmed that fatigue played a part.

"I saw the vehicle had started swaying," one survivor told K24 Digital, describing the moments before the impact.

Another survivor, who lost a sister in the crash, told the outlet: "My sister is dead. She was my everything."

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr sent condolences to the bereaved families and said survivors were getting treatment. President William Ruto also sent condolences and directed authorities to carry out thorough inspections of public service vehicles.

Government promises tougher oversight

Hours after the crash, Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir announced a set of measures. They include an expanded black spot programme to identify and fix high-risk stretches of road, and a joint crackdown by NTSA and police on reckless overtaking and speeding. He also promised structured training and compliance checks for commercial drivers.

"Today's loss of 22 lives brings the pain and urgency of our road safety crisis into even sharper focus. We cannot continue treating road safety as business as usual," Chirchir said in a statement issued when the toll stood at 22.

Chirchir said the ministry would work with the Judiciary, the National Assembly and the Senate to implement the Commercial Vehicle Regulations 2026, the Vehicle Inspection Regulations 2026 and the School Transport Regulations 2026.

NTSA has gone further. It says road crashes kill more than 5,000 Kenyans every year and has asked the government to declare them a national disaster so that more funding and coordinated enforcement can follow.

The Motorists Association of Kenya (MAK) wants heavy trailers separated from long-distance buses and freight moved to the Standard Gauge Railway. It also wants the long-delayed dualling of the 461-kilometre highway fast-tracked. "How many more Kenyans must die before those entrusted with protecting human life wake up?" the association asked in a statement.

Second major tragedy in three weeks

Sunday's crash came just over three weeks after 17 Catholic pilgrims from St Mathias Mulumba Catholic Church in Mikindani were killed in a collision at Salama on the same highway on October 3. They had been travelling to the National Shrine in Subukia.

Police and NTSA investigators are still piecing together the moments before the impact. Families are being asked to go to the hospitals and mortuaries in Makueni to help identify the victims.

Photos: K24 Digital, Kenyans.co.ke