A British national has been killed after being hit by a vehicle in the President of Kenya’s motorcade while crossing a busy road.
The man, named as 79-year-old Edgar Charles Frederick, died yesterday after being knocked down by a vehicle in President William Ruto’s convoy, according to reports.
Police arrested the driver of a support vehicle and have launched an investigation into the alleged hit-and-run.
The driver failed to stop after the incident, police said, and is expected in court later today.
The victim’s next of kin have been informed of his death, the BBC reports, and a post-mortem will likely be conducted in due course.
A police spokesman told that the man had been a regular visitor to Kenya and had come to see his sister and nephew, who are residents of the country.
Footage circulating online appears to show the motorcade speeding along Ngog Road in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, with screams reportedly heard following the incident.
Other videos show a crowd gathering around the man, with onlookers visibly shocked by what had happened.
Pictures show shocked onlookers gathering around the man after the crash
Police arrested the driver of a support vehicle and have launched an investigation into the alleged hit-and-run
Witnesses in the popular shopping area gasped as they took in the shocking scenes on Thursday
Graphic images have been circulating on social media showing the deceased man bleeding on the road in the aftermath of the collision.
It happened near Adams Arcade, a busy shopping area near the city centre.
President Ruto had been travelling along the main road as part of a tour of the capital after carrying out engagements in the vicinity of the crash.
Police told reporters that the vehicle involved in the collision belonged to the regional administration and was providing support to the President’s security detail.
A statement from Kenya’s National Police Service said: ‘Following a road accident that occurred at Adams Arcade along Ngong Road involving a government vehicle, which resulted in the death of a pedestrian who is is a foreign national, the NPS is now handling the matter and investigations have commenced.’
The spokesperson also urged road users and pedestrians to ‘exercise extreme caution and adhere to traffic rules to prevent accidents’.
The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
