Kaburengu crash: Death toll hits seven after two more pupils die
Members of the public at the scene at Kaburengu along the Eldoret-Webuye highway where a truck collided with a school bus on June 24, 2023.
Two pupils from Ebenezar Academy in Busia County have succumbed to their injuries while receiving treatment in a hospital in Bungoma, raising the death toll in the crash at Kaburengu junction to seven.
Matete Sub-County Police Commander Mr Bamfort Tsurwa said the two pupils – a boy and a girl – died on Sunday.
“We have unfortunately lost two more pupils who receiving treatment in hospital in Bungoma town. They have succumbed to their injuries as doctors did everything possible to save their lives,” said Mr Tsurwa.
Doctors at the Webuye Sub County Hospital had earlier said 20 other learners and their teacher who were admitted at the facility on Saturday night were in stable condition and responding well to treatment.
A medical officer at the hospital Mr James Mwangi said the learners and the teacher were expected to be discharged anytime to travel home.
The Grade Five learners had travelled to Eldoret town on an academics tour and were on their way back to school when their lives were cut short.
Mr Tsurwa told Nation.Africa on Sunday morning that the driver of the truck which was transporting ballast, lost control of the vehicle after he reportedly disengaged the gear and descended the steep slope from Chimoi market at high speed.
The construction of an interchange at Kaburengu junction was meant to ease the flow of traffic on the busy highway but the move has failed to check the frequent accidents involving speeding trucks, transporting fuel and others goods across the Malaba border to neighbouring countries in the East African region.
Mr Tsurwa said: “As he approached Kaburengu, the driver tried to swerve to avoid crashing into the bus but ended up ramming into it. The bus was tossed form the road and overturned, landing on its side.”
“The driver of the truck is to blame for this accident due careless driving. The truck drivers have a habit of disengaging the breaks of the vehicles at Chimoi to try and save on fuel as they descend the steep slope towards Kaburengu junction and that is how they end up causing accidents,” said Mr Tsurwa.
The Principal of Ebenezer Academy Mr James Ouma told Nation.Africa in an interview that parents who lost their children in the accident had collected the bodies for burial.
