Kenyans burn down a vehicle thinking it was their president’s escort car after it hit motorcyclists

Angry people in the Embu county of Kenya have set ablaze a vehicle which they mistook to be one of their president’s escort cars after it knocked down and badly injured two people who were riding on a motorcycle.

Early reports claimed that one of the escort cars in the Kenyan President motorcade was involved in a fatal crash in Embu County, indicating that the fated black Toyota Landcruiser Prado struck and killed two people who were riding a motorcycle.

However, the two deaths were later denied, though the conditions of the victims still not promising.

Many of the cars that form President Wiliam Ruto’s motorcade are usually black Toyota Landcruiser SUVs, which explains the confusion.

The vehicle in question was initially believed to have been part of the escorting motorcade that accompanied President William Ruto to the 35th Diocesan Anniversary at Saint Mark’s College of Kigari in Embu County.

The motorcycle taxi rider and his female fare were reportedly badly injured with minimal chances of survival.

The allegedly speeding Presidential escort car on the other hand, lost control, swerved off-road and plunged into a river valley, trapping its occupants.

However, the angry residents of Embu reportedly set the presidential escort car on fire.

A few moments later though, the Embu Woman Representative Njoki Njeru made a statement claiming that she was responsible for the accident, which occurred on Sunday afternoon.

According to Njoki, it was her vehicle which was involved in the crash, not one attached to the Presidential escort.

Ms Njeru further revealed she had communicated with the President’s team informing them of the incident.

The accident, which occurred just a few meters from Gakwegori Market, caused a temporary traffic disruption along the busy Embu-Runyenjes Road, as boda boda riders continued to gather at the scene to witness the aftermath of the collision.

In March 2025, one such convoy of cars escorting the President of Kenya, William Ruto, reportedly hit and killed a British national in Nairobi city.

The Briton was identified as Edgar Charles Frederick aged 79 years, who died on the spot.

African president love to string long convoy of speeding cars to boost their status image but these usually turn to be dangerous stints.