On the afternoon of Saturday, February 1, Mr Randu Kombe received a call from his son telling him that their school had been closed indefinitely.
The son, who was a Form Two student at Dr Aggrey Boys High School in Wundanyi, Taita Taveta County, was calling to ask his father to send him fare to Mombasa.
Mr Randu said he did not know what had transpired at the school leading to its closure, but he sent the fare through the mobile number he was given by his son and went on with his daily activities.
Later, he said, a fruit vendor at Wundanyi called him to inform him that a bus ferrying students had been involved in an accident and asked him to do a follow-up.
The wreckage of the ill-fated bus that was involved in a crash along Wundanyi-Mwatate road in Taita Taveta County on February 01, 2025.
Photo credit: Lucy Mkanyika | Nation Media Group
He then decided to travel to Voi at 9pm on Saturday to do a follow-up since he had not received any communication from his son.
He says he was shocked to learn that his firstborn son had perished in the crash that occurred at the notorious Josa blackspot along the Wundanyi-Mwatate road.
"I could not get the teachers on the phone, so I decided to come to Voi. When I came to the hospital I did not expect to see my child dead. I don't know what happened. I could not believe seeing his body lying at the mortuary. It is so painful," he said.
He blamed the school for failing to notify the parents about the two fire incidents that occurred in the school and the subsequent closure of the school.
"They could have notified us that they had released the students to go home. They did not even consider the time they would arrive home and some did not even have fare to go back. They should have notified us early," he said.
Grief engulfed Moi County Referral Hospital mortuary as the families of the victims of the accident flocked to the facility to confirm the news of the death of their loved ones.
The families of the students asked the institution and the government to help them give their children a decent send-off.
"This is a very sad day for us. We are yet to come to terms with the news of the death of my nephew," said Mr Nathaniel Mwandawiro, a relative.
Red Cross volunteers console a bereaved family whose loved one perished in the crash along Wundanyi-Mwatate road in Taita Taveta County on February 01, 2025.
Photo credit: Lucy Mkanyika | Nation Media Group
Survivors of the accident said the driver, who also survived, lost control of the bus at the blackspot.
The driver, Martin Joseph, said the vehicle did not have a mechanical problem before the accident.
He said earlier on the fateful day, he had ferried mourners to a burial in Mghange in Wundanyi.
"The brakes failed, and I lost control of the vehicle. I have experience of over 24 years and I have had this bus for over five years. I use that route daily so I don't know what transpired," he said.
A student, William Mkoma, said upon reaching the blackspot, the vehicle lost control and rolled.
"We started screaming, and it hit the wall. I lost consciousness. I sustained injuries," he said.
Dr Aggrey Boys High School Principal Robert Aran said they would work with the affected families and termed the incident as unfortunate.
He said they were forced to send the students home to avoid unrest and property after the second fire incident that occurred on Saturday morning. Another fire incident had occurred at the school on Thursday.
Political leaders and the clergy from various denominations condoled with the families and prayed for the survivors at the hospital.
The leaders called on the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) to look into the Josa stretch to curb the frequent road carnage.
Mr Robert Aran (right), the Principal of Dr Aggrey Boys High School and Taita Taveta Parents Association chairperson Elias Mberi consult at Moi County Referral Hospital's mortuary in Voi, Taita Taveta County.
Photo credit: Lucy Mkanyika | Nation Media Group
Taita Taveta Senator Jones Mwaruma and Wundanyi MP Danson Mwashako urged KeNHa to take necessary steps to stem the accidents that have claimed many lives.
Mr Mwaruma decried the number of accidents that have happened on the spot, saying he will raise the matter when Parliament resumes next week.
"There was a report by Kenha that had noted several recommendations. We will follow-up to ensure it is implemented," he said.
In the Saturday incident, four students and two adults, a male and a female, perished. Some of the survivors were later taken to the Coast General Hospital in Mombasa for specialised treatment.
