Highway collision in Kenya kills 17 Catholic pilgrims traveling to Subukia shrine

Collision on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway

A collision involving multiple vehicles on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway killed 17 people after midnight on Saturday, 3 October 2026. The incident took place near Salama in Makueni County, approximately 90 kilometres southeast of the capital Nairobi. According to local police, the crash occurred when a truck driver attempted an overtaking maneuver past another truck and collided with oncoming traffic. The impact struck a passenger minibus travelling in the opposite direction along the busy transit corridor. The driver of the minibus and 16 passengers, the majority of them women, died at the scene, while several other motorists and passengers sustained injuries requiring medical treatment. Police reports indicated that all 17 fatalities occurred among occupants travelling inside the minibus, which had a standard seating capacity of 14 places.

Pilgrimage to the Subukia shrine

The victims were members of the Saint Matthias Mulumba Catholic Parish in Mikindani, Mombasa, who were travelling together toward Nakuru County. The group was en route to the Subukia National Shrine, a site northwest of Nairobi, to participate in the Catholic Church's annual National Prayer Day gathering. The Archdiocese of Mombasa published the names of the 17 deceased parishioners, confirming that the victims included Janet Miito, Florence Atieno, Jane Mwakamba, Josephat Mekonge, Hilkah Orina, Linah Akinyi, Veronicah Musyimi, Martha Nzyoki, Ann Mwanthi, Sarapia Mwarimbo, Scholastica Ochieng, Catherine Joseph, Beatrice Oluoch, Veronica Ngandi, Regina Mwai, Samuel Muigai, and Samuel Mwanyasi. Church leadership called on the faithful to pray for the families and the wider parish community.

Archbishop Kimengich issued a formal statement on the tragedy through diocesan channels.

With deep sorrow we announce the untimely passing of 17 pilgrims from Saint Matthias Mulumba, Mikindani, in an accident that occurred in Salama.

Archbishop Martin Kivuva stated that the archdiocese was saddened with lots of grief following the incident. Kenya's President William Ruto offered condolences to the families and the Catholic community, while Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport Davis Chirchir also extended sympathies to the bereaved relatives and parish members.

Investigation and safety record on transit corridors

Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority dispatched an investigation team to the crash scene to establish the exact sequence of events and inspect the mechanical condition of the vehicles involved. The agency noted that the road segment near Salama is a designated black spot where safety recommendations had previously been issued. Transport officials called on all motorists to observe strict lane discipline, control travel speeds, and refrain from risky overtaking maneuvers along the heavily travelled route connecting the port city of Mombasa to Nairobi.

Kenyan traffic data reflects persistent challenges with road safety across the country's main corridors. Official records from the transport agency documented 5,009 road traffic deaths in 2025, alongside 2,150 fatalities recorded during the first six months of 2026. While official baseline records account for roughly 4,000 deaths per year, the government's road safety action plan notes that actual casualties could be up to three times higher due to unrecorded roadside fatalities. Authorities attribute recurring incidents on the Mombasa highway to poorly maintained vehicles, excessive speed, driver fatigue, and poor road infrastructure.