Students cheat death after bus rams building

Medics attend to students who were injured during an accident along Senya-Ahero Highway. the learners from St Joseph's Kemasare and Nyameru Secondary Schools in Nyamira were headed to Kisumu Girls for this year's Nyanza Regional Drama Festivals on Sunday morning. [Stanley Ongwae, Standard]

More than 40 students from Nyamira cheated death Sunday morning after a school bus they were travelling rammed into a building at Senta Junction along the Oyugis-Sondu-Ahero Highway.

The students from St Joseph's Kemasare Mixed, 28 and Nyameru Secondary 16 were travelling in a Kemasare school bus alongside six teachers to Kisumu Girls High School, where this year's Nyanza Regional Schools Music Festivals were happening at around 6 am when the vehicle lost control at the Senta Junction and rammed into a building at the roadside.

According to Kemasare Principal Thomas Nyakundi, who was waiting for the team that was travelling in the bus to pick him up near the scene of the accident, the bus was moving at a worrying speed a few seconds before it veered off the road and rammed the roadside shop.

"I was also to travel with the students to Kisumu, and I had communicated with the driver to pick me up at Senta. Strangely, the bus came at a high speed and just flew into the roadside structure," Mr Nyakundi narrated.

The driver of the vehicle was critically injured in the head and neck, and he is currently out of danger, according to Director of Healthcare Services Evans Oeba and the hospital's Medical Superintendent Dr Angela Ogendi.

Dr Oeba said of the 46 victims of the accident, 18 students and five teachers had been cleared as having not suffered any injuries, and 25 were still being monitored after it was confirmed that they suffered varying degrees of injuries.

"Of those injured, five suffered maxillofacial injuries and were to undergo scans to ascertain the extent of their injuries," Dr Oeba said.

Dr Oeba said the hospital had already prepared a team of guidance and counselling that would offer them psychosocial support to overcome any mental or physical anguish.

"Our team of specialists is in place, and they are working to ensure those in need of critical care are well attended and that they are guaranteed, " the medic said.

Nyamira County's Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association Chairman Job Oira and the principals of the two schools visited the learners and teachers at the health facility, where they wished them well.

Nyameru Principal John Okoth assured scores of parents and relatives of the students who had turned up at the facility to be calm since their children were out of danger.

Kemasare Principal, Mr Nyakundi, said the ill-fated bus had not had any mechanical issues, and it is regularly serviced.

"The Bus was a donation from the West Mugirango NGCDF and has had no issues since we acquired it. The driver has also been keen on his job, and on Friday, he was in Kisumu with another team," he said.