A sobering reminder of the dangerous journey that ended tragically is the wreckage of the Easy Coach Bus, which was transporting students from Chavakali Boys High School to Nairobi for the April holiday break when it overturned at the Mamboleo Junction in Kisumu County.
Joseph Maduli, 17, was one of the victims who passed away instantly, and many others were injured. The event happened at 11:35 p.m.
Parents, including Maduli's family, voiced concern as the unusual decision to release students at night got underway on the journey from Chavakali to Nairobi.
"Shule iliamua watravel usiku jambo ambalo halijawai kufanyika," the deceased's mother, Mary Kioche, said.
Did you read this?
"As parents we have so many questions," Diana Gichengo, a family member, said.
Like many other parents, Mary was worried about her son's safety and could not sleep.
"I didn't sleep because I knew he was travelling at night. I was estimating the time he'd arrive in the morning," she said.
At midnight, news of the accident started making the rounds on the internet, but Mary had to wait until morning to find out how her son was doing.
She criticized the administration of the school for their poor communication. When dawn arrived, and their son was nowhere to be found, they sent a friend in Kisumu to hospitals to inquire about his whereabouts.
"Parents on Whatsapp groups were saying that some buses had arrived with their children whom they went to receive. Students who escaped with minor injuries called their parents informing them of the same but my son never called," said Mary.
The accident ended the dreams of Maduli, a bright form four student who loved basketball and wanted to become a pilot.
Plans are in place to move his body to the Jaramogi Teaching and Referral Mortuary and bury him in Nairobi.
Thirty-two more students are still receiving treatment at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. In comparison, two more students suffered severe injuries and were admitted to Avenue Hospital in Kisumu.
