Raila Odinga  and other leaders at the  burial mass service of the 22 victims among the 27 people who died at the Coptic roundabout bus accident in Kisumu. [Michael Mute, Standard]

Grief, pain, and sorrow engulfed Katombo village in Nyakach as a mass burial service was held for 22 of the 26 victims of a fatal road accident involving a school bus transporting mourners.

As the sun set over Katombo and Nyakach, sorrow lingered. The cries of orphaned children, the silence of homes left without parents, and the emptiness in the hearts of survivors painted a picture of devastation too deep for words.

For some families, there is no longer a mother to call; for others, children have been left orphaned, their lives forever altered by the tragedy. 

For this community, August 8, 2025, will forever remain a day of tears, a day when hopes were shattered, families left without breadwinners, heartbroken mothers and an entire clan struggling to heal from a tragedy that devastated nearly every homestead in this close-knit community bound by blood, friendship and faith.

On Saturday, moments after hundreds of mourners who had turned up to mourn with the families departed, a deep sense of emptiness and pain engulfed the village.

Nearly every home is struggling with its loss after collecting the coffins of loved ones from the joint ceremony at Naki Primary School. 

From one homestead to another, people moved quietly, trying to console grieving relatives and friends. 

In one home, Vallarie Adhiambo and her sister, Liz Achieng, were inconsolable as they sat beside their mother’s grave, weeping over the loss of the only breadwinner they had known since their father passed away. The younger of the two kept calling their mother’s name as tears streamed down her face.

Some of the mourners, unable to bear witnessing the pain, walked away from the graves as tears streamed down their faces.

Rose Ayieko, who lost both her father and brother to the tragedy, said the loss had devastated their family.

“Losing my father has crushed me. He was a family man, loved by everyone. He never passed anyone without greeting them or offering a cup of tea. Children loved him, strangers loved him. He was a man of God and of the people. As we lay him to rest, I am heartbroken beyond words,” she said through tears.

Valierie Adhiambo and Liz Achieng cry over their mother's grave in Katombo Village. She was among the 27 people who died during the Coptic roundabout bus accident in Kisumu. The mother of 3 was the soul bread winner for the family after their father died sometime back. [Michael Mute, Standard]

Consolata Achieng, who lost her sister, described the loss as a dark moment for the family.

“She has left behind three young children who are now total orphans, because their father had died earlier. She was everything to them. Now they have no one to call mother. My greatest worry is their future, their education, and their care. This pain is too much, and I don’t know if I can ever heal from this,” she lamented.

 Edward Tei, another villager, spoke of how the tragedy had torn his own family apart,  leaving a lasting void in their lives.

“Upper Nyakach has lost many families. I lost five people, including my elder brother. This is premature death, and it is heartbreaking. In the home of George and Margaret Nyamita, both parents died, leaving their children behind. It is extremely traumatizing for the community,” he said.

After the joint service, the bodies were handed over to families for burial in different homes across Upper Nyakach.

Mourners lined village paths as coffins were carried, each home marking a fresh wave of grief. For the village, it was a black weekend that will remain etched in their memory for generations.

The magnitude of the tragedy drew widespread attention. The ceremony was attended by leaders across the political divide, clergy and community members who came to console the bereaved.

Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o announced that his administration has waived medical bills for all victims of the tragedy still receiving treatment at the hospital.

Deputy Governor Mathews Owili called on the government to consider licensing school buses to carry civilian passengers, ensuring insurance coverage.

“Buses that carry students are not licensed to carry civilians. If they were, these victims could have received compensation to support their families,” Owili said.

ODM leader Raila Odinga described the tragedy as a devastating and dark moment for the entire country.

The victims were travelling on a bus belonging to AIC Naki High School, returning to Nyakach from the funeral of Risper Ogendo last week, when the accident occurred.

Police reports indicate the driver lost control of the vehicle while navigating the busy Coptic Roundabout on the Kisumu–Kakamega Highway. The bus plunged into a ditch and overturned, leaving a trail of destruction and grief.

Meanwhile, the government confirmed that it had disbursed Sh4 million to support burial costs. Nyanza Regional Commissioner Flora Mworia said the funds had been released to help ease the financial burden of affected families.