3 students of St Mary’s Nyamagwa Girls High School in Sameta, Kisii county, died yesterday after their new bus overturned when they were celebrating getting a new vehicle.
The bus overturned at a sharp bend in Nyabunde on the Itumbe-Igare road.
It was reported that seven students died on the spot, while three died on arrival at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The 54-seater bus was carrying an unknown number of students.
“The accident happened as the students were celebrating the new bus which had arrived at the institution on Thursday evening. They were returning from Itumbe when the driver lost control,” witness Wilfred Oresi said.
The incident left parents in tears. They had been invited for a Prize Giving Day and inauguration of the bus.
Some parents received the news on their way to the function and rushed to the accident scene to check on their children.
KTRH acting chief executive Enock Ondari said 68 people were taken to the hospital, but three died.
Kisii Senator Chris Obure who arrived at the scene shortly after the accident sent his condolences to the bereaved families and teachers.
He said the road should be redesigned as many lives in crashes in the area.
“It is dark moment for the county to have lost lives of young girls in a similar accident that occurred three years ago,” Obure said.
He urged the county government to cater for hospital bills for the students.
Governor James Ongwae said the county government will help offset the hospital and mortuary bills.
He thanked the public for their quick response in helping the accident victims and taking the injured to hospital.
Three years ago another school bus overturned on the same spot, killing 13 students and a teacher.
In the 2013 accident, students and teachers from five schools in Marani district were on their way to Nyachogochogo Secondary School in Nyamache District for the second term games.
They were using a bus from Rioma Secondary School.
