Multimedia University students block Magadi Road after death of a second year student

Chaos erupted earlier today after police lobbed tear gas to protesting Multimedia students who blocked Magadi road over the death of their colleague.

The students engaged police in running battles as they paralysed transport on the road for the better part of the morning hours.

The motorists were locked out as the standoff escalated, and they were advised to use an alternative route.

The students have blamed the accidents on the road on the newly recarparted road, which lacks markings and speed bumps.

The police promised investigations and action over the same, even as they pleaded with the students to clear the road.

They also promised to engage relevant road agencies to address speeding on the road.

Lameck Mwangi, a second-year student at the Faculty of Social Science and Technology, was found dead over the weekend in what the police termed as a hit-and-run accident.

The protest by the university students comes as the latest data by the National Transport and Security Authority indicates that atleast 13 people are killed on the road daily as road slaughter continues to rise with more than 400 people having lost their lives compared to last year as of the end of January this year.

The report indicated that 4,748 lives were lost in road crashes last year, marking a rise of 424 deaths compared to 2023.

NTSA indicated that Saturdays proved to be the most perilous day for road travel, recording 855 fatalities, up from 782 in 2023.

Sundays followed closely with 828 deaths, an increase from 778 the previous year. Mondays also saw a steep rise, with 743 fatalities in 2024 compared to 576 in 2023.

Fridays recorded 649 deaths, slightly higher than 644 in 2023, while Tuesdays saw 573 fatalities, up from 477.

Thursdays reported the fewest fatalities at 518 compared to 531 in 2023