Residents of Karangi in Kisumu County react to news of the deaths of five children who were hit by a car that veered off the road as they were heading home from school. [Photo: COLLINS ODUOR/standard]

Five children who were walking home from school were knocked by a car after it veered off the road.

Nyando OCPD Elias Gitonga said the car was avoiding head-on collusion with another at Awasi along the Kisumu-Kericho highway before it landed on the children. Two others were seriously injured.

Witnesses said the driver lost control of the vehicle as he was overtaking. The children were leisurely walking home, 15 metres away from the highway on the pedestrian pathway.

Mr Gitonga said the accident happened at 3pm and described the stretch of the incident as a black spot but blamed it on dangerous driving.

"The driver lost control, veered off the road hit a ditch before landing on the children, killing them on the spot. The driver, Yegon Cheruiyot, is in our custody and the law will take its course," Gitonga said.

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The driver of the car had attempted to flee the scene but the public caught up with him and handed him to the police. The vehicle rolled several times.

For the family of Mary Akinyi who lost her daughter, Sheryl Auma, 7, it was a painful reality learning of her girl's death as she prepared to go help her cross the busy road home.

Teachers Irene Akinyi and Nerea Adhiambo said they had released the pupils 15 minutes before the accident.

The two arrived at the scene as the bodies were being taken away.

Teachers talked fondly of Faith Aluoch and Fenny Marine, who survived the accident. They described the two, who were now recuperating at a local hospital, as brilliant and obedient children.

One of the pupils identified as Victor Adika, 7, had not been to school for nearly two weeks because of sickness, and only reported back yesterday to meet his death.

His mother, Elizabeth Ochieng', said she had forced him to go to school despite not being fully recovered.

"My son did not want to go to school yesterday, but I forced him. He would be  alive if I heeded his cry," the mother said as she broke down in tears.

The bodies were moved to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital mortuary.