By D, KNA
A sombre mood engulfed Rangenyo village in Nyamira County on Wednesday as thousands of mourners gathered for the requiem mass and burial of nine family members who perished in a road accident at Chabera on the night of December 14.
The emotionally charged ceremony, held at Rangenyo DEB Primary School grounds, drew relatives, friends and sympathisers from across the Gusii region and beyond. Leaders led by Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo and Kisii Governor Simba Arati attended the service to console the bereaved families and pay tribute to the deceased.
Grief and sorrow punctuated the ceremony alongside hymns and prayers offered, with many mourners visibly struggling to come to terms with the magnitude of the loss. The victims, members of the same extended family, were returning home from a wedding when their vehicle was involved in the fatal accident.
Emotions ran high when Mr. Dancan Odhiambo from Homabay County was invited to narrate his experience as the first responder at the accident scene. His account moved the crowd into fresh wailing and sobbing.
Odhiambo said he was travelling from a friend’s home at around 8.30p.m. when he came upon the crash site. Realising an accident had just occurred, he rushed back to alert his friend before returning with an axe to breakthrough and help rescue those trapped in the wreckage.
“Most people who arrived at the scene only stared from a distance or left because the situation was shocking and overwhelming,” he said.
He recounted how the area Officer Commanding Station was alerted and responded swiftly with a police vehicle. The injured were rushed to hospital, after which the vehicle returned to collect the bodies of those who had died.
“I carried the bodies one by one to the police Land Cruiser because everyone else was just watching. My clothes were soaked in blood. To this day, I cannot explain where I got the strength and courage to do all that,” Odhiambo narrated.
He added that what drove him was the thought that the victims could easily have been his own relatives, stranded far from help. Odhiambo said he was even more disturbed when he later learnt that the victims were family members from Rangenyo who had been travelling together after attending a wedding.
Odhiambo conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, urging them to take comfort despite the painful loss.
Clergy who led the service called on relatives and friends to draw strength from their faith, reminding them that while the tragedy was devastating, it was beyond human control.
Politicians present echoed the sentiments, encouraging unity and mutual support during the difficult period.
Governor Nyaribo thanked all individuals and organisations that contributed towards the burial arrangements, describing the process as complex, expensive and emotionally draining.
He confirmed that ten survivors from two separate accidents that occurred on the nights of December 13 and 14 were still receiving treatment. Those requiring specialised care, he said, had been transferred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
“I want to thank President William Ruto for his financial support to assist the families of the 18 victims who lost their lives in these two accidents,” said Governor Nyaribo.
“May the Almighty bless everyone who has contributed to ensure the deceased are accorded a dignified send-off.”
The governor assured families of other victims yet to be buried that they would receive equal support from the county government.
Governor Arati expressed his condolences, urging motorists to exercise caution on the roads, especially during the festive season, to prevent similar tragedies.
As the coffins were lowered into the graves, mourners wept openly, bidding farewell to loved ones whose lives were cut short so suddenly. The burial served as a painful reminder of the devastating impact of road accidents on families and communities.