Eight people died and several others were injured on Thursday night after a matatu collided with a truck at Mlima Kiu area in Makueni on the Nairobi- Mombasa Highway.

Confirming the 11pm accident, Makueni Police Commander Barbanas Ng’eno said the eight passengers died on the spot following the head-on collision.

The matatu was heading towards Nairobi from Loitoktok while the truck was en route to Mombasa.

The bodies of the deceased were moved to Kilungu Hospital while the wreckage of the vehicles were towed to Salama Police Station as investigations into the incident continue.

This now brings to 20 the total number of people who have died following road accidents on the Nairobi Mombasa Highway within the last 24 hours.

Twelve people were killed at Ndii area in Taita Taveta on Thursday after a matatu they were travelling in collided with a truck.

The matatu driver was reportedly trying to overtake before colliding with the oncoming truck.