Behind the pomp of the presidential visit to Siaya County on Sunday, three families are mourning relatives killed in a road crash involving vehicles in Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale’s convoy at Otonglo along the Kisumu–Busia highway.
At Karombo village in Kisumu West sub-County, grief hangs heavily over the home of Henry Olang’o Nyambok. His 21-year-old daughter, Rose Aoko Olang’o, died in the crash.
Her mother Hellen Olang’o recalled how the devastating news reached her while she was selling goods at Otonglo market.
“My husband came and asked me to call our elder son and tell him to close his shop because he had received information that our daughter had been involved in an accident,” she said amid sobs.
Ms Olang’o immediately followed her husband to the scene, about 700 metres from Otonglo shopping centre, but the victims had already been rushed to hospital.
“I boarded a tuk-tuk to the hospital and arrived at around 6.30pm. At first, a police officer denied me access. My co-wife waved at me from inside the casualty ward, so I thought my daughter was receiving treatment,” she narrated.
“When I was finally allowed in, I found my daughter lying in a pool of blood. Her head was badly injured and her legs were broken. I was later informed she had died at the scene.”
“He called and asked me to check on an accident that had occurred near Kotetni Primary School along the Kisumu–Busia highway. He suspected my daughter might have been involved,” Mr Nyambok said.
When he arrived at the scene, he was told that the victims had already been taken to hospital.
At the casualty wing, he searched anxiously among the injured.
“One of the nurses asked who I was looking for. I mentioned my daughter’s name and described the clothes she was wearing. She asked me to wait briefly before consulting her colleague,” he said.
Moments later, the nurse returned and asked him to identify a body. “I found my daughter lying in a pool of blood,” he said tearfully.
Ms Aoko had just completed her final examinations at Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Kisumu campus and was expecting to graduate later this year.
“I struggled to educate my daughter all these years. She was about to graduate,” Mr Nyambok said.
Her cousin Aurelia Auma said the family was shocked since earlier reports suggested there were no fatalities from the crash. Joshua Ogolla, a relative, said he received the news from a village administrator.
“He called in the evening and said sorry. When I asked why, he told me my granddaughter was among those killed in the accident,” Mr Ogolla said.
At the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary, another grieving family gathered to mourn Hillary Longin who also died in the crash.
Abel Longin mourns the loss of his brother Hillary Kiptoo Longin, 23, at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching Referral Hospital Farewell Home on March 9, 2026.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
His brother Abel Longin said the 22-year-old had completed secondary school in 2022 at Butula Boys High School with a B grade but had been unable to join university due to financial challenges.
“Yesterday he was heading to Otonglo when a vehicle in the Health CS’s convoy, which was travelling from a function in Rarieda to Kisumu International Airport, hit them,” Mr Longin said.
“I got the news from my younger brother who stays with him. He said he had called Hillary’s phone, but a stranger answered and told him the owner of the phone had been involved in an accident and taken to hospital,” he said. A witness, John Oyamo, said the crash involved a tuk-tuk, a matatu and a Toyota Prado.
“The tuk-tuk was coming from town towards Otonglo market. The Prado was speeding and overtaking when it hit the tuk-tuk, which was carrying three people,” he said.
The accident scene where a vehicle in Health CS Aden Duale’s convoy collided with a 14-seater matatu and a tuk-tuk at Otonglo along the Kisumu–Busia Road on March 8, 2026.
According to the hospital, 20 victims were received following the accident. One person was pronounced dead on arrival, while two others later died while receiving treatment.
Five victims were admitted for further care, while 12 were treated and discharged.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said those injured in the accident involving a vehicle in his motorcade were receiving treatment.
Speaking during an Iftar dinner in Nairobi, he said he briefly delayed his journey to ensure the injured were assisted and taken to hospital.
“They are recovering well,” he said.
