Kibaki is injured, two killed in smash up with taxi
Narc leaders rushed to hospital after highway pile-up
Mr Kibaki
By NATION Team
Presidential candidate Mwai Kibaki was yesterday injured in a multiple car accident in which two people died.
Mr Kibaki, aged 71, head of the main opposition National Rainbow Coalition (Narc), was rushed to hospital after the crash at the Machakos turn-off on the Mombasa highway.
He was not seriously hurt, his aides said, and was driven the 40 kilometres to Nairobi Hospital for treatment.
Witnesses said a car in Mr Kibaki's convoy collided with a commuter taxi, commonly known as matatu, causing a multiple pile-up.
The dead victims were passengers in the commuter taxi. Police could not disclosed their identities as investigations into the accident were incomplete.
Dr Dan Gikonyo, Mr Kibaki's personal physician said he had suffered a fracture on the upper right arm (humerus) and a dislocated right ankle.
He described his condition as stable saying there was no cause for alarm.
"Mr Kibaki has not suffered any major injury. He is fully conscious. These are significant injuries but not major. They are fixable injuries that we will work on tonight," he told the press outside the hospital. "He is not in any particular danger... it is not life-threatening."
Narc leaders Raila Odinga and Moody Awori who were among Narc leaders and other supporters who thronged the hospital following the accident, said the incident would not disrupt the party's campaigns.
"Our campaign will proceed as usual. This is a temporary setback but it won't stop us. We will proceed with our programme as arranged," Mr Odinga said.
The two said there was no foul play and that the incident was just an accident and appealed to Narc supporters to pray for Mr Kibaki's quick recovery.
His convoy was returning to Nairobi after campaigning in Kitui and Mwingi District following a two-day campaign swing in North Eastern and Eastern provinces.
Mr Kibaki was saved by airbags in Range Rover.
He arrived at Nairobi Hospital in a Toyota Prado at exactly 7.50 pm. Doctors and nurses were on hand to carry him on a stretcher. He appeared to be in a lot of pain.
Mr Kibaki's right hand was in a sling and he wore a neck brace. His right shoe was missing.
According to the driver of Mr Kibaki's escort car, Mr Michael Macharia, the Narc leader's car was leading the entourage on their journey back to Nairobi. As it approached the Machakos-Nairobi junction, it hit the commuter taxi that was picking up passengers and veered off to Mombasa Road. Mr Kibaki's Range Rover swerved and landed in a ditch five feet deep.
One of his bodyguards sustained facial injuries.
The bodyguard complained of backache and needed assistance to walk when they reached Nairobi Hospital.
Other eye-witness accounts stated the commuter taxi was first hit by a lorry after it had stopped in the middle of the road to pick up passengers before the accident involving Mr Kibaki's car, a Range Rover. It was extensively damaged.
Mr Macharia found a number injured people lying on the roadside.
He spotted the party leader's car across the road a roadside construction site.
Mr Kibaki was seated in the front passenger seat. It took them some time to pull the car out of the ditch.
Nairobi hospital was jammed last evening with Mr Kibaki's relatives and party supporters.
Among Narc politicians in the ill-fated convoy were Dr Julia Ojiambo, Mr Mwangi Kiunjuri and Mr Raila Odinga.
Narc leaders wait anxiously by a stretcher at Nairobi Hospital for the arrival of Mr Kibaki who was being transported from the accident scene near Machakos. They include Mr Raila Odinga, Mr Moody Awori and Mr Kibaki's personal assistant Mr Alfred Gitonga
Mr Kiunjuri said: "I saw Mr Kibaki soon after the accident. He had no visible injuries and was able to walk by himself to another car, which took him to hospital. Some of his security men suffered slight injuries."
The Narc team started their tour on Monday. They stayed overnight at Mwingi and then in the morning drove to Kitui, arrived at Kabati market in Kitui West at 10.30am for a brief rally.
Another rally took place at Matinyani market at 11.15pm. From there they drove past to Kitui town to Zombe market, arriving at noon.
The group then returned to Kitui town for the main rally which ended at 5.30pm.
They were driving back to Nairobi when the accident happened at the Machakos turn-off on the Nairobi-Mombasa Road.
Mr Kibaki and other Narc leaders had earlier told a campaign rally in Kitui district that Kanu was planning to rig elections by destroying at least 50 votes in every polling station countrywide which, will total to over 2.5 million votes, hence snatching victory out of Kenyans' hands.
The leaders, who addressed a series of rallies in Kitui West, Kitui Central and Mutito constituencies, called on their supporters to be watchful during the vote counting to ensure no rigging occurs.
They also promised that their government will pay retrenched civil servants all their dues and address all the education sector woes properly.
In the campaign trail were Narc leaders, Kalonzo Musyoka, Raila Odinga, Charity Ngilu and Oloo Aringo.
Mr Odinga said he acknowledged Kitui district as a cradle of opposition politics in Ukambani and called on members of the Akamba community to keep up the fight to remove Kanu from power.
Speaking at Kitui Municipal stadium, in Kitui town at the end of the tour Kibaki said plans for all the pledges made for Kenyans were ready and implementation will start immediately when his government takes office.
Kalonzo and Ngilu at the same meeting declared that party infighting that erupted during the nominations was over and vowed to work together.
The rallies were attended by 12 other former MPs including Mrs Nyiva Mwendwa, Dr Julia Ojiambo, Mr Kiunjuri, Mr Mutua Katuku and Mr Muthusi Kitonga among others.
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"Ivinicus factus sum veritabem diceus." ( I have become an enemy for speaking the truth ) St Paul!
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Mitayo Potosi
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