The wreckage of a bus that overturned at Coptic Roundabout, killing 21 mourners on August 8, 2025. Photo/Sikika Road Safety
By Daisy Okiring
Tragedy struck on the Kisumu-Kakamega Road on Friday, August 8, 2025, after a bus ferrying mourners overturned at Coptic Roundabout, killing at least 21 people.
According to Nyanza Regional Traffic Commander Peter Maina, the victims were part of a funeral procession returning from Nyahera in Kisumu County. While the cause of the accident has not been officially confirmed, preliminary reports indicate the driver lost control before the vehicle veered off the highway and overturned.
Eyewitnesses described a horrific scene, with passengers thrown from the bus on impact. Images from the crash site showed the mangled wreckage of a school bus, with locals and emergency responders gathered around.
Coptic Roundabout flagged as high-risk blackspot
The crash occurred at Coptic Roundabout, a well-known blackspot near Riat Hills, which has seen multiple accidents in recent years. The road’s steep descent and poor signage have repeatedly been blamed by locals and traffic safety advocates for contributing to high accident rates, particularly involving buses and trucks.
This year alone, three separate crashes have already taken place at the same roundabout. On July 15, a bus belonging to Uzima University overturned at the same spot, killing one and injuring 46 students and staff. Earlier, on July 3, a lorry headed to Kisumu overturned, resulting in three deaths and multiple critical injuries. In April, a student died when an Easy Coach bus was involved in an accident at the same roundabout.
Friday’s crash is the deadliest incident at the site so far this year.
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Calls for road safety reforms grow louder
The frequency of accidents at Coptic Roundabout has reignited debate over road engineering flaws in the area. Residents and road safety groups have for years warned that the combination of steep gradients, lack of proper signage, and reckless driving creates a recipe for disaster.
Many are now calling on both national and county governments to urgently redesign the roundabout, install speed control measures, and deploy additional signage to guide drivers navigating the descent from Riat Hills.
The latest accident follows another school-related crash earlier this week in Vihiga County, where a bus carrying students from Salvation Army Imusutsu High School overturned, leaving an unspecified number injured.
Emergency crews in Kisumu say five survivors from the Coptic Roundabout crash are in critical condition, while 15 others sustained various injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
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