Bus Carrying TUM Students to Leader's Funeral Overturns, Nine Feared Dead

At least nine students from the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) are feared dead after a bus ferrying them to a colleague's funeral overturned along the Awasi-Ahero road in Kisumu County on August 7.

The students were traveling from Mombasa to Awasi to attend the funeral of former TUM Students' Association president Elvis Otieno, popularly known as "Beast," according to preliminary accounts from the scene.

Several other passengers sustained injuries in the crash and were rushed to hospital, with some reported to be in critical condition at the time of publication.

A witness described the bus as having been part of a convoy ferrying the late student leader's body home when the accident occurred along the route.

Before departing Mombasa, the TUM community had gathered on campus for a Catholic Requiem Holy Mass and a fundraiser held in Otieno's honour, drawing family, friends, students and university stakeholders.

Otieno died on July 20 after reportedly suffering an epileptic attack that caused him to collapse and sustain a fatal fall during a meeting at a hotel in Nyali, Mombasa, according to reports from TUM's student association.

Dignitaries at the earlier memorial included Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, Youth Affairs Principal Secretary Fikirini Jacobs, and Mvita Member of Parliament Mohamed Machele.

Otieno's body had been scheduled for airlifting to Kisumu on August 7, ahead of a planned burial on August 8 at his rural home in Awasi, Kochogo Village.

Members of the public began sharing condolence messages online as news of the crash spread, with mourners noting that a journey meant to honour a fallen leader had ended in further loss.

Siaya County Governor James Orengo joined other leaders in extending condolences to the affected families and the wider TUM student community.

Authorities are expected to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash, including details on the exact number of casualties and injuries.

The accident comes days after a school bus ferrying students to a music festival overturned in Soimet, Bomet County, on August 2, injuring six people with no fatalities recorded.

Road safety has remained a persistent concern in Kenya, with recurring crashes involving buses carrying students and other passengers on major routes across the country.