Kisumu crash victims to be buried in Nyakach mass grave

Staffs at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral hospital help families onload coffins inside the hearse, August 15, 2025. /FAITH MATETE

A sombre cloud hangs over Nyakach in Kisumu county as families prepare for burial of 22 victims of the Kisumu-Kakamega highway crash.

The victims, who were largely relatives and close friends, will be laid to rest after a joint funeral service at Naki Primary School on Saturday, August 16, in Koguta village.

They were among 26 people who lost their lives when a bus belonging to AIC Naki High School lost control at the Coptic roundabout, just outside Kisumu City and plunged into a ditch.

Survivors recall laughter and song on the way from the burial of a family member in Nyahera – moments that turned into screams and chaos within seconds. 

Twenty six others survived the crash, which has been described as the deadliest in the region’s recent history.

On Friday morning, grief-stricken relatives converged at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) mortuary to identify and collect bodies of their loved ones.

The process was painfully slow. Names were called out one at a time and family members stepped forward, leaning on each other for support.

Moments later, they emerged, some in tears, others in stunned silence having confirmed the worst.

Outside, hearses lined in the driveway. 

As each coffin was wheeled out – handled with solemn care – fresh cries broke out among the crowd.

The viewing was conducted just beyond the mortuary gates. Some mourners reached out to touch the polished wood, whispering prayers or final farewells before the caskets were placed inside the vehicles.

Women wailed uncontrollably, while some men stood rooted to the ground, their eyes fixed on the polished wood of the caskets.

For many, this was the moment the tragedy became unbearably real. 

“We came from one funeral, now we are going to bury almost a whole family,” said a tearful woman.

The mortuary gates became the place for final goodbyes.

 Relatives touched the coffins, whispered prayers and in some cases, knelt beside them, refusing to let go.

 The atmosphere was heavy with grief, yet bound by a sense of unity as the community came together to support the bereaved.

Hospital staff and volunteers helped coordinate the viewing and loading of the bodies into the hearses, ensuring each family is attended to.

From the hospital, the bodies were transported to individual homes in Nyakach for night vigils, a deeply rooted Luo tradition where family, friends and neighbours gather to mourn, sing hymns, and share memories until dawn.

Saturday’s service at Naki Primary School is expected to draw thousands, including county and national leaders. 

 After the service, the procession will break into smaller groups to escort each loved one to their final resting place.

The sheer scale of the loss has left Koguta village reeling.

 Entire homesteads are mourning; in some compounds, multiple graves have been dug side by side. 

Local leaders have called for urgent safety improvements along the Kisumu-Kakamega highway, describing the accident as one of the worst in the region’s history.

Now Nyakach braces for a day unlike any other one of grief, unity and farewell.

 In the words of one mourner, “We will bury them, but we will never forget them.”