At least 8 dead after matatu plunges into dam on Thika Road

At least eight people died after a 14-seater matatu veered off the Thika Superhighway and plunged into a dam at Githurai area in Nairobi on Monday night.

The matatu was heading to the city centre at around 7.30pm when it reportedly hit a pick-up vehicle before careening into the dam which is near Clay Works Brick Factory.

On Tuesday morning, transport was paralysed on both sides of the stretch between Githurai and Kasarani after area residents took to the streets to protest over the Monday night accident.

They irate locals also demanded that a fence be mounted around the dam, which they described as a death trap, or the water be drained elsewhere.

They also accused police and the county government of slow response to the accident.

A search mission for more victims was still ongoing at the dam on Tuesday afternoon as the number of passengers in the matatu could not be established.

15:36 Demonstrations on Thika road take their toll as traffic lockdown continues. Motorists adviced to take alternative routes pic.twitter.com/zYx3mmQ0VR via @MATHERIJAMES

— Ma3Route (@Ma3Route) September 25, 2018