- A Kakamega bride exclusively described to TUKO.co.ke the last moments before her family died in a road crash in the Kodada area
- She explained how she and her husband felt devastated after the sudden loss of people they regarded as mentors
- The bride appealed for support from the government while revealing the burden the family has been left with after the demise of her supportive parents
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features in digital and print media.
A bride from Kakamega county has narrated the heartbreaking moment she learnt that her parents and eight close relatives had died in a grisly road accident along the Kisumu–Kisii highway, only hours after celebrating her wedding.
Source: Original
The victims were travelling home from a ceremony at Sichirai Church when a lorry transporting cement collided head‑on with their van at Kodada on Sunday, December 14.
The crash left six others injured, turning what was meant to be a joyful day into a tragedy that has shaken the community.
What happened before Kodada accident?
Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, Haileen Kemunto, a pastor‑in‑training at Baraton University, said the news shattered her world.
She described the moment she received the call informing her that her parents, an uncle, an aunt, and a cousin had died on their way home.
According to Haileen, the family had planned to travel together to her marital home after the wedding, but delays forced them to split into two groups.
“The person who was supposed to take all of us home was held up, so my husband and I left first while the rest remained at the church,” she said. “We expected them to join us later for a meal before we went for our honeymoon, but they said they were full and would just return to Nyamira. They only asked my brother to come for their bags.”
When the hired vehicle they had planned to use was delayed, the group boarded her brother’s car instead.
Kemunto waited for them at home, unaware that tragedy had struck.
“Before they could reach home, they were involved in an accident. Someone called my in‑law to inform her of the crash and where the bodies and the injured had been taken,” she recounted.
How did Kemunto react to her relatives’ deaths?
Haileen said the news broke her completely.
“The news was devastating. The church members had celebrated us and treated us like their own children. Many of them wanted to come home to the wedding, but the vehicle was not available. When I heard the news, I was confused. I felt like it was my fault they died. I even blamed myself, thinking that if I had not called them, they would still be alive.
My husband, Kepha Ang’awa, says this death feels like a dream. He cannot believe people can leave his home and die on their way back. These were people we depended on, our advisors,” she said.
Kemunto revealed that the bodies were badly damaged, and the burials may take place between Friday and Monday.
Kemunto, the lastborn in her family, said her parents had been her greatest supporters.
At 41, she is now responsible for her four children—two in university, one in Form Three—and three orphans from her brother-in‑law.
Source: Original
Does Haileen Kemunto seek help?
She appealed to both the national and Kakamega county governments for support.
According to Kemunto, her Form Three child has a school fee balance of KSh 100,000, which she says the parents had previously promised to help clear.
She also expressed concern for her injured brothers and their children, who depended on the deceased parents.
“One of their children completed Form Four and another KJSEA. I would really love to see them continue with their education,” she said.
Kodada accident survivor recounts fatal crash
Meanwhile, another survivor, Geoffrey Achoki, recounted how the tragic accident unfolded.
Achoki said the lorry struck the driver’s side of their van, hitting the driver and the passengers seated directly behind him before ripping off the entire side of the vehicle all the way to the back seats.
Speaking from his hospital bed, he said the bodies were scattered on the ground, adding that many of the injured were rushed to Rachuonyo County Hospital for urgent treatment.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
