A visit to collect a loved one’s body turned into an unimaginable tragedy where a fatal accident occurred on the Thika‑Kenol Highway on Friday, 18 July 2025. A speeding lorry struck the two women outside Montezuma Monalisa Funeral Home in Kabati, along the busy Thika–Kenol Highway.
One woman died on the spot. Her companion, a close relative, lost both legs in the crash and is now fighting for her life in hospital.
Eyewitnesses say the two had just arrived at the mortuary to prepare for the burial of a deceased family member when the lorry veered off the highway and hit them.
A tragic commute
The sisters had reportedly gone to the Montezuma morgue to collect a relative’s body. Family members and local residents later said they crossed the busy highway on foot where no footbridge or pedestrian crossing was nearby.
Emergency response and grief
Traffic police arrived minutes later and halted vehicles for rescue teams.
Medical teams pronounced one sister dead and the other in a critical condition at the hospital.
A deadly highway
The Thika–Kenol stretch is notorious for high-speed crashes and lacks proper pedestrian infrastructure, especially around busy locations like funeral homes, shopping centres and markets.
Locals say they have raised complaints before. Many people have lost too many lives and the lack of footbridge, speed bumps and signs is a great concern.
Road safety concerns
This tragedy has reignited concerns about pedestrian safety on Kenyan highways.
Nearby residents argue that the lack of designated walking paths and crossings on highways is a long‑standing problem. One Boda boda rider described the road as a blind spot because in a month, four people have lost their lives.
Local residents have raised concerns over the lack of bumps, a footbridge for pedestrians and ample parking for mourners who visit Montezuma funeral home. Residents described the road as chaotic because every time mourners visit the funeral home, they have to park on the other side and crossing the road is very dangerous.
A local resident has urged the construction of a foot bridge and ample parking outside the funeral home to prevent any other fatal accident from occurring.
What official sources say
No official statement has been recorded yet.
A call for safety reforms
This latest incident has reignited calls for urgent intervention on Kenya’s busy roads.
Pedestrian safety groups have been pushing for stricter speed enforcement and the construction of footbridges, especially near critical services like morgues and hospitals.
A family left in double grief
As the family prepares to bury their loved one, they must now come to terms with yet another loss and life-changing injuries.
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