Two students perish in accident on their way to bury former TUM president

Former TUMSA president Elvis Otieno. [File]

A double tragedy has hit the family of the late former student leader of Technical University of Mombasa, Elvis Otieno,  after a bus ferrying mourners in his funeral procession was involved in an accident, killing two students and injuring scores at Boya area in Kisumu.

The funeral procession had earlier received the body of the late student leader at Kisumu International Airport after it was flown from Mombasa. The body was then taken to Aga Khan Hospital Mortuary before the convoy departed for his rural home in Awasi.

Confirming the incident, Technical University of Mombasa Dean of Students Joel Awino said the students had travelled safely from Mombasa and encountered the tragedy while heading to the burial venue.

"Yesterday, a team of students left Mombasa to travel to Kisumu to attend the burial of our former Students' Union chairman who passed away two weeks ago. The journey from Mombasa was smooth and they arrived safely in Kisumu this morning. We received the body at the airport before taking it to Aga Khan Hospital Mortuary," Awino said.

TUM Dean of Students Joel Awino addresses the media at JOOTRH following the fatal road accident involving students travelling to the burial of former Students' Union chairman Elvis Otieno. [Rodgers Otiso, Standard]

Awino said 17 students were admitted to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), while 15 others were rushed to Lisa Hospital in Ahero for treatment.

A survivor, Brian Ochieng, who was travelling in the convoy, recounted the moments leading to the crash.

"We had the buses travelling one after another from the junction towards Awasi. The vehicle tried to avoid a small car, lost control and overturned," he said.

"There were students inside the bus while others were sitting on top. Those who sustained serious injuries were mainly those inside because the vehicle landed on its side. Others suffered shock."

Ochieng said he was among the first people to respond after the crash.

"We were among the first people to reach the scene. We identified one of the students who had unfortunately died, and the body was taken to the JOOTRH mortuary," he said.

Joseph Oloo, President Emeritus of the Technical University of Mombasa Students' Union and successor to the late Elvis Otieno, urged fellow students to remain calm as they mourned their colleague.

"We had come to give Beast a befitting send-off. Unfortunately, what has happened has happened. I was not in the bus that was involved in the accident," Oloo said.

According to Nyanza region traffic enforcement officer Peter Maina, the bus that was ferrying an unknown number of mourners lost control, veered off the road and overturned.

One of the victims died on the spot while another died at Lisa Hospital in Nyando Sub-County, where he was rushed for treatment.

At least 19 other passengers have also suffered serious injuries resulting from the impact of the fatal accident, according to Nyando Sub - County police commandant Isiah Mose, who spoke to The Standard shortly after the accident.

According to witnesses, the bus had been hired from Mombasa to ferry students from the Technical University of Mombasa to Awasi for the funeral of a student leader who is set to be buried tomorrow at his rural home in Awasi, Nyando Sub-County.