Four die after bus, tuk tuk collide in Kisumu

Accident

A bus collides with a tri-cycle commonly known as tuk-tuk along Ahero-Awasi-Road.

Photo credit: Handout

Four people perished after a bus collided with a tri-cycle commonly known as tuk tuk along the Ahero-Awasi road on Friday night.

The 11pm accident occurred after a bus belonging to Climax Company, which was trying to overtake a stationary lorry, collided with the tuk tuk.

The latest accident brings to more than 34 fatalities reported in Kisumu County within a month.

"The bus collided head-on with the three-wheeled vehicle, the tuk tuk was trapped underneath and dragged 60 meters from the scene," read a police report.

The Nyanza Regional Traffic police commander Allan Mwangi said that the bus occupants had however escaped unhurt.

Man loses firstborn son

Had his son been alive today, Mr Peter Oyola would have visited Ahero sub-County hospital for a checkup due to his ill health.

Instead, Mr Oyola, in his late 50's found himself at the compound of Ahero sub-County Hospital Mortuary mourning the sudden demise of his firstborn son.

Kevin Otieno, 32, is among four travelers who met their deaths on that fateful Friday night.

Mr Oyola says he last spoke to his son on Friday mid-morning when he had asked for money to purchase drugs for his medication.

The deceased, who was a lorry driver, had sent his father Sh500 and promised to send the rest of the money the following day.

On Friday evening, the lorry driver’s two wives raised an alarm after he failed to show up at home as had been his routine.

"I was alerted by my daughter-in-law that my son did not sleep at home and sent them to report to the police station shortly after learning about the accident," said Mr Oyola.

The family members' search ended at the sub-County morgue where they found the diseased body waiting to be identified.

According to witnesses, Otieno had boarded the Tuk tuk from Awasi and met his death only 100 meters away from his home.

The deceased, who has been described as a loving and supportive son, is survived by his two wives and four children.

Rampant accidents

Witnesses have blamed the accident on the bumpless road.

According to locals, many road accidents have been reported at the same spot over the last couple of months.

"The premature deaths can be prevented if we had bumps constructed around the accident sports," said Ms Janet Juma who has also lost her brother-in-law.

The four bodies have since been moved to Ahero sub-County Hospital Mortuary for preservation.

The accident comes barely a month after two other fatal accidents in Nyakach and Ahero where nine and 17 people succumbed to their injuries respectively.

While condoling with the families last month, Kisumu governor Peter Anyang’nyong’o blamed the accidents on reckless drivers while arguing that the deaths would have been prevented if the drivers abided by the road rules.

“We have shed too much blood on the roads, the traffic police must now stop this madness. As we mourn the deaths, I appeal to the police to open urgent investigations into the rising number of accidents on our roads,” said Prof Nyong’o.