Kisumu: Woman Heartbroken as 13 Close Relatives Die in Coptic Roundabout Accident, 26 Hospitalised
- A Kisumu clan's farewell to their kin ended in a devastating accident, leaving shocked families mourning and in disbelief
- Officials announced immediate measures to assist affected households, focusing on counselling, treatment, and coordinated relief efforts
- Kisumu's top leadership called for urgent road safety improvements following the incident at a long-criticised accident hotspot
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Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Kisumu: Grief has engulfed Katombo village in Upper Nyakach after a horrific road accident at the Coptic Roundabout in Mamboleo claimed 26 lives and left scores injured.
Source: Facebook
Among the worst hit is the Orwa Owak clan, which lost more than a dozen of its members when a bus they were travelling in overturned on Friday evening, August 8.
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The vehicle, belonging to AIC Naki High School, was ferrying 54 relatives back from Nyahera, where they had attended the burial of their kin, Risper Akeyo.
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Twenty-one people died at the scene, while five more succumbed to their injuries at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).
Florence Akoth, one of the bereaved, lost 13 close relatives of the 26 members of her extended family. Of the 28 people admitted to the hospital, she is closely related to 26.
“I have seen something I have never witnessed in my entire life. All my people are gone… including my brothers, they are finished. Right now, the death toll has reached about 27,” she said, breaking down in tears.
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According to JOOTRH, Carren Agengo, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Children Services, assured residents of the government’s unwavering support.
She said psychosocial support for survivors and the bereaved would be prioritised, particularly for children who have lost parents.
“We have children who have lost their lives, and we also have children who have been left without parents. The most critical need at this moment is psychosocial support to help these families cope with the loss,” she said.
Source: Facebook
The Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Ouma Oluga, announced the creation of three committees—medical, social and bereavement, and funeral—to coordinate the response.
The medical team includes three orthopaedic surgeons and two neurosurgeons brought in temporarily to handle urgent surgeries and oversee post-mortems.
Oluga also thanked the Kisumu county government and residents for their cooperation, adding that the national government had taken charge of coordination to ensure no affected family is left unattended.
Meanwhile, Kisumu governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has urged the Ministry of Roads to prioritise redesigning the Coptic Roundabout, which has long been a blackspot.
The location has been the scene of multiple accidents over the years, raising questions over road safety measures.
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Meanwhile, another crash occurred on the Mai Mahiu on Saturday, August 9, after multiple vehicles crashed.
Among the vehicles involved was an Ena Coach bus travelling from Nairobi to Migori, and a trailer which reportedly hit the vehicle from behind, initiating the incident.
The incident sparked concerns among Kenyans following the surging accidents witnessed in the country, which have claimed several lives in the past days.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
