Nine Pupils Die, Several Others Injured in Grisly School Bus Crash in Kitui

A Saturday night accident involving a truck and a school bus left nine pupils of St. Gabriel Primary School in Mwingi, Kitui County dead while several others sustained injuries.

Confirming the accident, Kitui police boss Muthuri Mwongera said the pupils were returning from a trip to Mombasa at around midnight when the fatal crash happened, meters from Tyaa River bridge near Mwingi town.

26 of the 32 injured pupils were treated at Mwingi Level 4 Hospital and discharged while the remaining six were transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi with serious injuries.

The OCPD said the bus was hit by the speeding truck, rolling several times before plunging into the river bed.

"Preliminary investigations show the bus was hit on the right-hand side and the pupils that died were seated on that side. It veered off the road on impact and rolled until it landed into the river,” Mwongera said.

Police have since arrested the driver of the truck. He is set to be arraigned in court on Monday.

"We have put him in custody and will be arraigned tomorrow to face charges of causing death by dangerous driving,” said Mwongera.