School Van Crash Injures 19 Pupils in Nyeri County
Nyeri, 31 January 2026
Nineteen pupils sustained injuries when their school van lost control and overturned into a ditch on Charity Road in Endarasha, Nyeri County, on Saturday morning. The vehicle, transporting students to Mahehe Friends Academy, was severely damaged with its windscreen shattered and seats dislodged. Emergency responders deployed more than six ambulances to the scene, with injured pupils rushed to Nyeri County Referral Hospital. Kenya Red Cross confirmed rescue operations remained ongoing to reach those still trapped inside the wreckage. The accident highlights persistent concerns about school transport safety across Kenya, particularly in rural areas where children rely on private vehicles for their daily commute to educational facilities.
Emergency Response and Medical Treatment
Emergency services responded swiftly to the crash scene on Saturday morning, with more than six ambulances converging on Charity Road alongside rescue teams and local residents [1][2]. The Kenya Red Cross confirmed that nineteen people with injuries were transported to Nyeri County Referral Hospital for treatment [3]. Initial reports indicated that some pupils were trapped inside the mangled vehicle, prompting ongoing rescue operations [1][3]. Police authorities confirmed that no deaths had been reported from the incident [1]. The front section of the van was severely damaged, with the windscreen shattered and passenger seats displaced throughout the wreckage [1][2].
Witness Accounts and Accident Details
Eyewitnesses described how the driver of the Mahehe Friends Academy van lost control of the vehicle before it rolled off the road and landed in a ditch [1][2][4]. The incident occurred along Charity Road in Endarasha, Kieni West, Nyeri County, during the morning school run [1][2]. Images from the scene revealed the extent of the damage, showing the vehicle badly mangled with its structural integrity compromised [2]. The exact cause of the accident had not been immediately established by authorities at the time of reporting [4]. Some pupils were initially treated at Endarasha Health Centre before being transferred to the county referral hospital [1][4].
Recurring Safety Concerns in School Transport
The Endarasha accident represents the latest in a series of school transport incidents that have raised serious safety concerns across Kenya [1][3]. Just weeks before this crash, another bus carrying students overturned in Kimende along the Nairobi-Naivasha highway whilst children were travelling back to school [1][3]. Following that previous incident, the National Transport and Safety Authority urged motorists to exercise increased caution around school zones, warning that reckless driving endangers children’s lives [1][3]. On 30th December 2025, NTSA issued an advisory calling on road users to take extra precautions during the busy back-to-school period [1][3].
Broader Implications for Rural School Transport
The transport accident occurred in the same area where Endarasha has faced previous safety challenges, particularly affecting educational institutions [2]. In September 2024, twenty-one pupils died and several others sustained serious injuries following a dormitory fire at Hillside Academy in Endarasha, Nyeri County [2]. The devastating fire broke out in the early hours whilst many students were asleep, with several pupils trapped inside before emergency responders could reach them [2]. Following safety concerns raised by the Kenya Human Rights Commission and other organisations, the Nyeri High Court ordered the closure of boarding facilities at Hillside Endarasha Academy [2]. The school was subsequently reopened in January 2025 after receiving clearance from the Ministry of Education to continue operations [2]. This latest transport incident underscores the persistent safety challenges facing educational institutions in rural areas, where children depend heavily on private vehicles for their daily commute to schools [GPT]. The authority emphasised that private motorists, public transport operators, school administrators, and parents all share responsibility in safeguarding young commuters, advising strict compliance with traffic rules and careful journey planning [1][3].