21 people died when a bus overturned at the Coptic–Mamboleo roundabout on the Kisumu–Kakamega Highway yesterday. The victims included 10 men, 10 women, and an infant.
The crash occurred at 5.30pm. The 51-seater bus, owned by AIC Naki High School, travelled from Nyahera in Kisumu West. Witnesses said it veered off the road and overturned.
Resident Erick Omondi said he heard a loud bang moments before the accident. He noted the roundabout has recorded many crashes and called this the deadliest so far. He warned the death toll could rise.
Emergency responder Dr Elly Charles said medics took the injured to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. They moved the bodies to the hospital mortuary. Nyanza Regional Traffic Enforcement Chief Peter Maina confirmed 30 injuries, including five serious cases. Police are investigating the cause.
The Coptic–Mamboleo roundabout has claimed dozens of lives over the years. KeNHA Nyanza Regional Director Julius Mak’Odero said the Kisumu–Kakamega road started as a single carriageway. Authorities later upgraded it to a dual carriageway to improve safety.
He said the upgrade encouraged speeding and reduced driver caution. Most crashes there involve heavy trucks. He noted the long stretch between Coptic and Kona Mbaya roundabouts also encourages speeding.
Mak’Odero ruled out removing the roundabout, warning it would create longer free flow and increase collision risks. He said the design meets standards, with three lanes for wider turns.
He warned that adding more bumps could destabilise trucks and buses, causing more crashes. KeNHA has already installed road signs, markings, and rumble strips.
From July 17, the agency will add two more sets of rumble strips and new road markings at different points to improve safety.
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