54 die in Kenyan Bus Crash

The Kenyan police say at least fifty four people were killed when a bus crashed into a river in the central Meru district.

A police spokesman said the accident happened on Wednesday when the bus travelling from Meru to the capital, Nairobi, veered off the road into the Nithi river.

He said about forty people were killed in the accident itself and several of the injured died later in hospital.

President Daniel Arap Moi sent his condolences to the families of the victims.

Correspondents say Kenya's roads are among some of the worst in Africa because of poor maintenance, overcrowding and aggressive driving.

The road was also reported to be slippery after heavy rains in the area

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service