At Least 17 Killed in Kenya Crash Involving Catholic Pilgrims

At least 17 people have died in a multi-vehicle crash in Kenya involving a van carrying Catholic pilgrims, according to police and reports from Kenyan media.

The collision occurred after midnight in the Salama area, about 90 kilometres southeast of Nairobi, on the highway leading to the coastal city of Mombasa. Police said a truck driver attempted to overtake another truck but failed, triggering a crash involving several vehicles.

The van driver and all 16 passengers died at the scene, police said. Most of the passengers were women. Kenyan media reported that the group was travelling in a 14-seater minibus.

Pilgrims were travelling to Nakuru County

Martin Kivuva, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa, said most of those killed were Catholic pilgrims on their way to a prayer site in Nakuru County, west of Nairobi.

Kivuva said he was “saddened with lots of grief” over the deaths. The archbishop did not provide the names of the victims in the information available.

Kenyan President William Ruto also expressed condolences to the families, friends, parishioners and the wider Catholic community “who are mourning this painful loss”.

Investigation launched

The Kenya National Transport and Safety Authority said it had dispatched investigators “to establish the full circumstances leading to the collision”.

The authority described the section of road where the crash occurred as a known “black spot” and said recommendations had been made to address safety concerns along the route.

The available information does not state whether anyone was injured, nor does it give details of arrests, charges or the identities of the truck driver and the victims.

Road safety concerns

Local media, citing figures from the transport authority, reported that Kenya recorded 5,009 road traffic deaths last year. A further 2,150 deaths were reported during the first six months of 2026.

Road crashes remain a major problem in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa. Poorly maintained vehicles, excessive speed and poor road conditions are often cited as contributing factors, although the full circumstances of this collision remain under investigation.