Nyakach Mourns 22 in Mass Funeral After Kisumu Bus Crash That Claimed 26 Lives

A somber mood hangs over the hills of Nyakach today as the community comes together for a mass funeral, mourning the loss of 22 lives in a devastating bus accident. 

The victims are being laid to rest in a joint ceremony at Naki Primary School, following the deadly crash on the Kisumu-Kakamega highway that claimed 26 lives and deeply affected this close-knit region. The crash occurred on August 8 near the Coptic roundabout just outside Kisumu. The victims, mainly from the Korwa and Katieno clans, were returning from a burial in Nyahera when the bus they were traveling in lost control.  

The vehicle was carrying 54 mourners at the time. What began as a communal show of support for a grieving family ended in one of the most fatal road accidents in Kenya in recent years. Hundreds of mourners gathered as families collected the bodies from the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue. 

The decision to hold a mass funeral was made due to the scale of the tragedy. Gospel hymns echoed through the school grounds as loved ones paid their final respects. Political and religious leaders, including ODM party leader Raila Odinga and Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, attended the ceremony. However, organisers urged that the event remain focused on mourning and unity, not politics.

Engineer Vincent Kodera, chairperson of the funeral organising committee, expressed the community’s deep sorrow. “We’ve never faced anything of this magnitude,” he said. 

He also highlighted the enormous logistical and financial challenges involved in organising such a large funeral. While the government has offered some support, gaps remain, especially in caring for the children left orphaned by the tragedy. The Coptic roundabout, where the crash occurred, is known to be a traffic hazard and is in urgent need of improvement.