At least, ten people from the same extended family returning from a wedding ceremony in Kakamega have been confirmed dead following a tragic road accident at Chabera on the Kisii-Kisumu highway.
Early police reports indicated that the vehicle they were traveling in veered off the road and collided with a roadside embankment late Saturday night, killing several occupants on the spot and leaving others critically injured.
The family was heading home after attending a joyful wedding celebration when the crash occurred at a notoriously dangerous stretch of the Chabera section of the busy highway.
A source confirmed that emergency responders rushed the injured to nearby health facilities, but authorities later confirmed that, at least, ten family members had succumbed to their injuries. Medical teams continued to treat several survivors as investigations into the cause of the collision intensified.
This latest tragedy comes amid a broader surge in fatal road accidents across Kenya’s highways, particularly in the Weestern Region. In August, a similarly devastating crash along the Kisumu-Kakamega road claimed at least 21 lives when a bus ferrying mourners from a funeral overturned at the Coptic roundabout near Kisumu, underscoring persistent safety challenges on that route.
Transport officials and local leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about hazardous road design and driver behavior along these major transport corridors. The Kenya National Highways Authority(NTSA) and county governments have pledged to conduct safety audits and implement engineering improvements, including redesigning black spots and enhancing signage, but road users continue to face risks from speeding and heavy traffic.
Community members and relatives of the deceased in Kakamega are now grappling with profound grief as plans for funerals proceed amid shock and mourning. Local leaders have called for greater enforcement of road safety regulations and urged motorists to exercise caution, especially during festive seasons when travel increases significantly.