Nairobi — In a chilling bloodbath, our roads claimed more than 30 lives in less than 12 hours.

In one of the accidents, a University of Nairobi student lay dead in a pool of blood in his full graduation regalia, only moments after he had graduated.

His life, expectations and those of his loved ones were rudely cut short by the monster that our roads have become. This was on Friday night.

The roads did not spare a couple's engagement party, either.

On Sunday, an Akamba Bus rolled in Vihiga and by sunset, 11 people had been confirmed dead and another 45 seriously injured.

This was back-to-back with another accident on the Kisumu-Kombewa road that killed 10 on the spot.

Another eight lives were snuffed out in equally tragic circumstances in Ruiru as five more lives were lost on the Eldoret-Kabarnet road.

The toll on the highways of death paints a grim picture of the festive season that has just begun and whose climax will be Christmas, due precisely 15 days from Sunday.

In the Eldoret-Kabarnet highway accident, passengers jumped out of the rear emergency door when they sensed danger. They were among the most seriously injured of the lot.

In the Vihiga accident, seven people died on the spot at Majengo on the Kisumu-Kakamega road.

The accident, which occurred barely a day after another eight people died on the Kisumu-Bondo road, involved an Akamba bus headed for Kakamega.

Another 31 passengers survived and were admitted to the Vihiga District Hospital in Mbale. Two victims of the 6am crash were rushed to the theatre in critical condition.

Vihiga Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD), Mr Gideon Kibunja, said the bus - which had left Kisumu with 39 people on board - rolled several times after veering off the road.

"There was a hit-and-run incident at the scene and the driver was avoiding running over the body that was lying in the middle of the road," he said.

The Vihiga District Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Francis Ondiro, said the dead included a 12-year old girl. He said those admitted were out of danger.

Among the survivors was the bus driver, Mr Dominic Mulabi, who was injured in the back and chest.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Mulabi said he was blinded by an on-coming vehicle before he spotted a body lying on the road.

"I saw a vehicle's light then it disappeared. The vehicle reappeared with full lights on as it swerved to avoid hitting the body. I also avoided running over the body but the bus veered off the road and rolled four times," he said.

Kibunja said the scene of the accident is a black spot.

Mrs Jedida Alifonya was pulled out of the wreckage by well-wishers.

"I was trapped between the seats and kept on calling for help as one of my legs and arm remained trapped," she said.

She was preparing to alight at Chavakali and decided to loosen her safety belt and move to another seat. Alifonya kept her contact with the rescuers until she was removed.

Residents of Majengo called on the government to repair the road, saying its bad state was costing lives.

Head-on collision

In the Eldoret-Kabarnet highway accident, five people died on the spot and 47 others were seriously injured when a college bus was involved in a head-on collision with a lorry.

Three people in the lorry, that was transporting mangoes to Eldoret from Marakwet, were among those killed instantly in the accident that occurred near Kessup Girls High School at 8pm on Saturday.

The other two casualties were a woman and child in the bus belonging to Tambach Teachers Training College, which was ferrying villagers from an engagement party.

Keiyo OCPD, Ms Dorcas Miroyo, said preliminary investigations showed that the bus could have been speeding.

Other witnesses, however, said the bus driver could have lost control after its brakes failed.

"I saw it swaying from side to side before it rammed into the canter, which was driving uphill," said Mr John Kiptoo.

He said passengers seated at the back rows of the bus kicked open the emergency door and jumped out when they sensed something was amiss.

Those who jumped out were among those rushed to Iten District Hospital and Tambach Sub-District Hospital with serious injuries.

Others, who suffered broken limbs, were rushed to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret for specialised treatment.

The immediate former Keiyo North MP, Mr Lucas Chepkittony, and parliamentary aspirant, Dr James Murgor, blamed poor enforcement of traffic rules and the bad state of the road for the rising road carnage.

Recently a Group4 Securicor bus plunged about 100 metres into a valley after it veered off the road at a dangerous cliff, killing four people among them two Administration Police officers.

In another accident on the Ruiru-Githunguri Road, Thika District, eight people were killed when their vehicle collided with a lorry on Saturday at about 8pm.

Three other people in the lorry were injured and rushed to the hospital.

Thika Divisional Police Commander, Mr Hassan Abdi, said preliminary investigations showed both vehicles were speeding.

And on Friday night, a University of Nairobi student, who had earlier in the day graduated, died in an accident near Panari Hotel on Mombasa Road, Nairobi.

The male student had his gown on when police and other rescuers arrived at the scene. Their vehicle rolled before hitting a pole.

Police said the vehicle was speeding. Four other people sustained injuries and are being treated in a city hospital.

Reports by Roselyn Obala, Allan Kisia, Vincent Bartoo and Cyrus Ombati