Nithi valley on the Meru-Nairobi highway in Tharaka-Nithi County is a notorious blackspot that has claimed many lives for many years sparking superstitions.
From both Nairobi and Meru direction there is a signboard advising drivers to engage low gear as they drive along the steep slope which is about a kilometer with many bends that ends at infamous Nithi Bridge.
Towards the end of 2019, cases of accidents had reduced but from January 1, at least six people have died and several others seriously injured in separate accidents involving private cars and that occurs at night.
According to a resident, Mr Nicholas Kimathi, in all the accidents, those who are lucky to narrowly escape death narrate how they saw a big cat majestically crossing the road and as they avoid knocking it, they lose control of the vehicle and it rolls several times into the Nithi valley.
Kimathi said almost all the accidents that have happened this year, have occurred at the same spot, about 500 meters from warning signboard raising questions on why the particular place.
“We are almost convinced that there are some evil forces here causing accidents as a way of offering sacrifices to their masters,” said Mr Kimathi.
On Wednesday morning, a Subaru Forester rolled into the valley and the driver sustained serious injuries and was rushed to PCEA Chogoria Mission Hospital.
The middle aged man also repeated the same story of a big cat that he was evading before rolling.
Mr Peter Maina, a matatu driver who has operated on the road for more than 20-years said initially, the accidents were mostly happening at the bridge and many drivers who escaped death said they saw a beautiful lady in sparkling white robe and long-beautiful hair that rested on her bums crossing the road before losing control of the vehicle as they avoided hitting her.
“The spirts causing the accidents must have moved from the bridge to new point,” Mr Maina said.
