Five people yesterday morning died on the spot and 14 others were injured in a road accident at Kamirithu in Limuru on the Nairobi-Naivasha Highway.

The accident involved two Nissan Matutus, a lorry ferrying meat from Limuru to Nairobi and a saloon car. One of the matatus and the saloon car were headed to Nairobi. The five dead were a matatu driver, one woman and three other men.

Three primary school pupils -- Michelle Wangaui, Maxwell Ng'ang'a, Cynthia Wanjiku and Ken Kamau -- who were on their way to school for today's KCSE exam rehearsals were among those who were rushed to Tigoni District Hospital for treatment.

Lari Police deputy boss Jonathan Kisaka said one of the matatus, which was speeding went of out control collided head on with an oncoming lorry. He said the saloon which was behind the lorry rammed into it before being hit another matatu.

He said the dead were in the Nissan matatu to Limuru. The injured were taken to Kijabe Mission Hospital for treatment. The saloon driver Charles Gathiru and his wife, who both escaped unhurt, said he just heard a loud bang and his vehicle was sandwitched between the lorry and the Nissan matatu.

He said visibility was poor and the road slippery because of the early morning drizzle. Kisaka warned the drivers against spending saying visibility in the area is poor because of the morning fog.

He warned drivers who speed and carry excess passengers that they will be arrested and prosecuted. "Now that we have entered in a very cold weather, we have foggy conditions mostly in the morning and evening and motorists should drive carefully on the highway," he said.