Families who lost loved ones in the tragic Malaha road accident along the Webuye–Kitale road in Bungoma County have received KSh13.5 million to help cover funeral and medical expenses.
The funds were raised during a harambee held at Sipala Secondary School in Webuye East Constituency, presided over by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
President William Ruto, through Speaker Wetang’ula, contributed KSh7.5 million, while the Speaker and a group of Members of Parliament raised an additional KSh2 million to support the bereaved families.
Speaking at the event on Sunday, Wetang’ula expressed gratitude to the President for his contribution and announced a joint interdenominational memorial service for the 16 victims, scheduled to take place in Webuye town.
“We have planned an interdenominational service for the victims before providing vehicles to ferry the bodies to their respective homes for burial,” said Wetang’ula.
The Speaker described the accident as one of the most devastating in the county’s history, noting that one family alone lost six members in the crash.
“Since independence, we have not witnessed such a tragic accident in this county where such a large number of people lost their lives instantly,” he said.
He further praised local leaders for setting aside political differences to support the families during this difficult period.
“When the accident happened, I put aside my duties in the National Assembly and travelled here with MPs to condole with the families and offer our support,” Wetang’ula added.
The Speaker also revealed that time had been set aside in the National Assembly for lawmakers to mourn the victims and deliberate on measures to curb the rising number of accidents involving trailers along the Eldoret–Malaba Highway. He added that he had discussed urgent road safety interventions with the Roads Cabinet Secretary, including the installation of speed bumps at accident-prone areas.
Meanwhile, Bungoma Senator and Senate Chief Whip David Wakoli claimed that more lives could have been saved if Webuye Sub-County Hospital had been better equipped to respond to emergencies.
“Webuye hospital had no functioning ambulance to respond effectively after the tragic accident,” Wakoli said.
However, Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka dismissed the claims, stating that the county government had invested resources in hospitals near the highway to ensure prompt response for accident victims.
“The ambulances in various hospitals are those I bought during my first term. People should not put all the blame on me and leave out the one who took over from me,” Lusaka said, adding that the county government will cover hospital and mortuary bills for the victims.
Also present at the event, Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera highlighted the role of the newly operational National Infrastructure Fund in improving road safety.
“The fund will accelerate plans to expand the highway into a dual carriageway, finance the construction of new roads, completion of stalled projects, and support other infrastructure development,” he said.
The harambee and memorial service provide both financial support and a platform for the community to come together in mourning, as leaders continue discussions on preventing future tragedies along the busy highway.
