At least ten teachers have lost their lives following a tragic road accident along Thika Road, plunging the education fraternity into deep mourning.
The fatal incident occurred on Saturday, January 31, 2026, outside City Primary School in Ngara, when a 33-seater matatu lost control and rammed into a group of teachers who were gathered at the roadside.
The teachers had assembled at the school to participate in the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) elections scheduled to take place later in the day.
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According to preliminary reports, 14 other teachers sustained serious injuries in the crash and were rushed to Guru Nanak MP Shah Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital for emergency treatment. Some of the injured were said to be in critical condition by the time they arrived at the medical facilities.
Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene as the matatu veered off the road, crashed into guardrails, and overturned before ploughing into the unsuspecting teachers. Videos obtained by Fmfixhub.co.ke show the vehicle lying on its side as rescue teams and members of the public worked frantically to assist victims trapped under the wreckage.
“Upon arrival, we noticed multiple casualties with severe injuries, including head injuries, abrasions, and fatalities at the scene,” one witness recounted.
Other eyewitness accounts suggest that the accident may have been caused by brake failure, which led the driver to lose control of the vehicle along the busy highway.
“The motor vehicle lost control as a result of brake failure and crashed into roadside guardrails before overturning,” another witness said.
The force of the impact reportedly threw some teachers several metres away, while others were temporarily trapped beneath the overturned matatu until rescue teams arrived.
Emergency responders, including police officers and medical personnel, quickly cordoned off the area to facilitate rescue operations and investigations.
Following the tragedy, KUPPET officials immediately suspended the elections at City Primary School as they focused on assisting victims and coordinating emergency response efforts.
Traffic along Thika Road was temporarily disrupted as police restricted movement near the accident scene. By the time of publication, no government official had issued an official statement regarding the incident.
Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing as families, colleagues, and the wider education community continue to mourn the loss of the teachers.