Eight pupils of St. Gabriel Academy Primary School died and 32 others seriously injured in a grisly road accident near Mwingi town on Saturday night.

A cloud of grief engulfed Mwingi town when the eight died after the Nguutani Secondary School bus they had hired collided head on with a truck, some two kilometres from their destination.

Six others were rushed to the Kenyatta National Hospital with critical injuries while 32 more were treated at the Mwingi Level Four Hospital with slight injuries.

Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu and Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi led other leaders in mourning the death of the pupils and wishing those injured a quick recovery.

Ngilu said she was deeply saddened by their deaths seeing as they were young people who looked forward to a bright future.
 

In his message, Mulyungi wished all the families, friends and relatives of the departed strength and resilience.
 

Mwingi Central Assistant County Commissioner Mohammed Dima said the pupils were returning from a tour from Mombasa when the accident occurred.

The Assistant County Commissioner said the bus rolled, plunging into the seasonal river. Those admitted in hospital include a teacher, a matron and the driver of the fated bus.
 

Six pupils had just been dropped home just before the accident, leaving 40 others, three teachers and a Matron on board at the time of accident.