On the evening of August 8, 2025, tragedy struck the heart of Kenya’s Nyanza region when a bus carrying mourners home from a funeral overturned near Kisumu, leaving at least 25 people dead and dozens more injured. The devastating accident unfolded at the Coptic Roundabout, a stretch of road infamous for its dangerous curves and frequent collisions, and has since plunged an entire community into mourning.
According to multiple reports from Associated Press and local news agencies, the bus was ferrying 54 passengers—mainly members of the Korwa and Katieno clans from Koguta Katombo Village in Nyakach Sub-County—returning from the burial of Risper Akeyo Ogendo in Nyahera, Kisumu West. The journey, just 20 kilometers long, was meant to be a solemn return home after paying last respects. But as the bus approached the roundabout at high speed, the driver lost control, sending the vehicle careening off the road and rolling multiple times before coming to rest in a ditch.
Regional traffic enforcement officer Peter Maina described the harrowing scene to reporters: “The vehicle lost control, veered, rolled onto the other side of the road.” Local police quickly confirmed the grim toll: 21 people died at the scene—including 10 women, 10 men, and a 10-year-old girl—while four more succumbed to their injuries in hospital, as reported by Fredrick Ouma Oluga, the principal secretary in charge of medical services in Kenya.
The aftermath has been nothing short of heartbreaking. At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu, relatives gathered in shock, many unable to process the scale of their loss. Survivors and the bereaved alike recounted stories of entire families shattered in a single moment. Lavender Vallary, 18, sat clutching photographs of her parents, Samuel and Esther Odhiambo, both lost in the crash. “My father and mother woke up early on Friday to attend the burial. They left at 7 am, rushing to catch the bus. I stayed behind with my cousin. They told me to take care of the home. I didn’t know I would be taking care of it forever… in their absence,” Lavender said, her voice trembling, as quoted by Nation Media.
For many children in Katombo Village, the tragedy has left them orphaned overnight, their futures suddenly uncertain. The grief in the community is almost palpable. “We have lost so many. It feels like the whole village has been cut in half,” whispered Margaret Onyango, a neighbor, as people moved from house to house, offering what little comfort they could.
The bus, a 51-seater hired from AIC Naki Secondary School, carried 30 members of the Korwa clan alone, according to elderly villager Lawrence Agai. He recounted how he had stayed behind, only to learn later that two of his brothers, Richard Aetu and Moses Owak, had died, while two others were hospitalized with injuries. “We have suffered a big loss. The entire village is in mourning, leaving us with no one to turn to,” Mr. Agai said through tears. Among the deceased were also community elders and bishops—pillars of the local society whose absence will be deeply felt.
The survivors’ accounts paint a vivid picture of the chaos and terror that erupted in those fateful moments. Felix Okoth, who suffered multiple fractures, recalled, “The bus bounced on the bumps, throwing us up. The driver unsuccessfully tried to negotiate the roundabout but failed.” He said the vehicle rolled several times before coming to a stop, and he later woke up in the hospital, only to learn that relatives seated next to him had not survived.
In the aftermath, the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital quickly mobilized resources, setting up three operating theaters and launching a blood donation drive to help the injured. Dr. Ouma Oluga, the hospital’s principal secretary, confirmed that 26 survivors were admitted, some in critical condition. “We are sending a call for a blood drive to save lives. The hospital has established a blood transfusion centre, which is open to relatives and the public,” Dr. Oluga told reporters.
The shockwaves from the Kisumu accident were compounded by a spate of other deadly incidents in Kenya over the same two-day period. On August 7 and 8, the country recorded a staggering 71 road accident deaths, including an air ambulance crash near Nairobi that killed six, a train-bus collision that claimed eight lives, and another bus crash in Naivasha that left nine dead, according to Bd-pratidin English and FNC. These tragedies have reignited calls for urgent action to address Kenya’s persistent road safety crisis.
Road accidents are, unfortunately, all too common in Kenya and much of East Africa. Experts and police frequently point to a combination of factors: roads that are narrow and riddled with potholes, vehicles often overloaded or poorly maintained, and drivers who ignore speed limits or safety regulations. The Kisumu–Kakamega highway, where the latest disaster occurred, is notorious for fatal crashes, with local media describing it as a “notorious section of road where collisions are frequent.”
Kenyan President William Ruto has responded to the mounting death toll by calling for swift accountability and stricter enforcement of traffic laws. He urged authorities to investigate any negligence that may have contributed to the Kisumu crash and emphasized the need for nationwide improvements in road safety standards.
For now, the focus remains on the survivors and the grieving families left behind. In the hospital’s female wards, Philgona Anyango Owak continues to recover from head and hand injuries. “I am alive by God’s grace. I am appealing to the nation to pray for us and offer any support to help with the healing journey and the burial of our loved ones,” she said, echoing the sentiments of many in her village.
As Kenya mourns the loss of so many lives in such a short span, the tragedy at Coptic Roundabout stands as a painful reminder of the urgent need for better roads, stricter enforcement, and a renewed commitment to public safety. The community’s resilience is being tested, but in the midst of such profound grief, neighbors and strangers alike are coming together—sharing burdens, offering prayers, and hoping that such heartbreak can one day be prevented.
