KENYA: 22 Road Crash Victims Laid To Rest As Leaders Demand Safer Highways

By Lisbeth Micheni, Kenya 

Twenty-two people who lost their lives in last week’s tragic Kisumu–Kakamega bus accident were laid to rest in a mass funeral service held at Naki Primary School.

The interdenominational ceremony brought together families, religious leaders, and political figures, all united in grief and in calls for urgent improvements to road safety.

The somber atmosphere was marked by rows of identical coffins, each representing a life cut short and dreams left unfulfilled.

Relatives remembered their loved ones with deep sorrow, with some noting that entire families and church leaders had been lost in the tragedy.

Kisumu East Member of Parliament Shakeel Shabir, while addressing mourners, welcomed the removal of parts of the Coptic roundabout that had long been linked to fatal crashes.

However, he raised questions over ongoing repairs on the Kakamega–Kisumu road, wondering aloud whether the work was being carried out by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) or by unqualified contractors.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, in his condolence message, urged the government to urgently redesign the deadly section of the highway.

He revealed that he too had once narrowly escaped death on the same stretch of road. Raila also renewed his call for a tough stand against corruption, saying the vice must be tackled in all institutions from government offices to the private sector and even the media.

Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o assured families of continued support, announcing that KSh7 million contributed by President William Ruto, Raila Odinga, and the county government would be shared transparently among the bereaved households.

Leaders further pledged to ensure that orphans and school-going children left behi

nd would be cared for.