Parents in grief as village mourns six children killed in accident

Pheney Marine, the only survivor of the accident, with her father Michael Otieno and a nurse at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu yesterday. [PHOTOS: COLLINS ODUOR/STANDARD]

Kisumu, Kenya: Edwina Achieng' is inconsolable. She is trying to come to terms with the death of her two daughters, Esther and Mitchel, after they were knocked by a vehicle on their way home from school. Three other children died during the Tuesday incident at Awasi along the Kisumu-Kericho highway.

Achieng, who is a security guard at Chemelil Sugar company, is among the parents trying to face up to the tragedy that struck Karrangi village.

The pupils were in a group walking home from school when the ill-fated car veered off the road and crashed them to death.

When The Standard visited Achieng', she was traumatised and was unable speak to the media. Her brother, Benson Ochieng, spoke on behalf of the family.

Ochieng' narrated how her two nieces used to keep him company and could run to him when he came from work.

"I would ensure that I came with mangoes to give them everyday, which made them very happy. I have lost two lovely nieces," he said.

In the same village, Betty Aketch rues why she missed turning up early to pick her daughters and her classmates. "Had I been there in time to pick the six children, they would not have perished in the accident" said Aketch as she wept uncontrollably at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).

She lost a daughter, Faith Aluoch, and is now staying in the hospital to nurse her other child, Marine, who survived with fractures on her limbs.

She narrated how on the fateful day she was greeted by the grim news of the accident as she approached the highway. She joined the emergency evacuation team that was carrying her daughter alongside Akinyi to the hospital.

"She was seriously injured but I am a bit relieved that she has slightly improved and is looking better off, though I am mourning the death of Faith," said Aketch.

Driver's Case

The six-and-half-year-old Marine is recuperating at the hospital after fracturing her limbs and is unaware she lost a sister and five other classmates.

Aketch said they had a rotational programme with other parents, where each usually picks the children on a given day at around 3pm and helps them cross the busy Kisumu-Nakuru Highway.  However, on that day, she delayed and the grim reaper came calling.

"I was held up somewhere and managed to reach there few minutes late only to find five bodies of our beautiful children lying besides the wreckage," she said.

The children who lost their lives were five-year-old Esther Akinyi, Sheryl Auma (7), Samuel Ochieng (5), Victor Adika (7), Faith Aluoch and Mitchel Akinyi.

JOOTRH Medical Superintendent Javan Kouko said most of the children had succumbed on impact and bodies had fractured limbs, head injuries and fractured vertebrae. "The girl that was brought yesterday succumbed to injuries because she suffered internal bleeding," said Dr Kouko.

Meanwhile, the case of the driver whose vehicle killed the six children did not proceed yesterday after police failed to provide a charge sheet at the Nyando Law Courts.

The driver, who is a quantity surveyor at the Nyando District Hospital, is still held at the Awasi Police Station. He had tried to flee the scene of the accident but the public caught up with him and had him arrested.

Kisumu county government has pledged to take care of the hospital and funeral expenses.

"The county government will foot the bills of those who suffered injuries and are recuperating in our hospitals, all the mortuary bills and cater for their burial expenses," said Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma.

In a statement sent to media houses, the governor condoled the affected families. "Once again, I wish to reiterate that we are united with the parents, relatives and friends of the deceased," he said.