A devastating road tragedy has claimed at least 21 lives after a bus ferrying mourners overturned at the notorious Coptic Roundabout along the Kisumu–Kakamega Road on Friday, August 8, 2025. Nyanza Regional Traffic Commander Peter Maina confirmed the fatalities, noting that the victims were returning from a funeral in Nyahera, Kisumu County.
Preliminary reports suggest the driver may have lost control of the vehicle before it veered off the highway and rolled over. Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene as some passengers were flung out of the bus on impact. The wreckage, belonging to a local high school, lay mangled at the roadside as shocked residents gathered around.
Authorities reported that five survivors remain in critical condition, while 15 others are being treated for injuries sustained in the crash.
Coptic Roundabout has a grim reputation as one of the region’s deadliest blackspots. Residents have long blamed its high accident rate on dangerous road design, inadequate signage, and reckless driving. The steep descent from Riat Hills to the roundabout is especially hazardous for heavy vehicles, with many drivers losing control at the curve.
The site has already witnessed three other serious accidents this year. On July 15, a bus from Uzima University overturned there, killing one person and injuring 46. Less than two weeks earlier, a lorry crash claimed three lives. In April, a high school student died in another bus accident at the same spot.
The latest tragedy comes just hours after another road incident along the Kisumu–Busia highway in Vihiga County, where a Salvation Army Imusutsu High School bus lost control and overturned, leaving several students injured.
With yet another deadly crash at Coptic Roundabout, residents and leaders are renewing urgent calls for redesigning the road and implementing stricter safety measures to end the recurring loss of life.
