The government has committed to fully supporting the families of those who died, alongside survivors of the Coptic roundabout crash, along the Kisumu – Kakamega road.
The Friday evening accident claimed the lives of 26 people – 19 on the spot while the rest succumbed while receiving treatment at the Jaramogi Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).
Majority of those who succumbed were family members who were aboard an AIC Naki High School bus, heading back home to Nyakach, after attending the burial of their kin in Nyahera. The bus was carrying over 60 people.
On Saturday, Principal Secretary (PS) for the State Department for Children Services Carren Agengo assured the people of Nyakach of the national government’s solid support.
Addressing the press at JOOTRH, PS Agengo emphasised the government’s immediate priority, which she said was providing psychosocial support to survivors and those mourning their loved ones, giving priority to children.
“We have children who have lost their lives, and we also have children who have been left without parents,” said the PS.
“The most critical need at this moment is psychosocial support to help these families cope with the loss.”
On his part, Dr. Ouma Olga, PS for Medical Services outlined the government’s structured response through, via the formation of three committees—medical, social and bereavement, and funeral.
Under the medical committee, additional medical specialists including three orthopaedic surgeons and two neurosurgeons on temporary employment have been mobilized, to ensure all the over 20 patients receive the required interventions immediately.
The social and bereavement committee will on other hand coordinate counselling and emotional support for the families, while members of the funeral committee will collaborate with the community to manage logistics for the burial arrangements.
Earlier, Kisumu governor Anyang’ Nyong’o called on the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) to urgently redesign the entire Kisumu-Kakamega highway, “addressing not only the roundabouts but the road's overall structure.”
An information desk is operating 24/7 at JOOTRH.
