Migori County government criticized for lack of planning during requiem mass of Migori town accidents
By Manuel Odeny, @ManuelOdeny
April 19, 2023
The Migori county government on Wednesday came into sharp criticism for lack of planning in Migori town during a requiem mass for a deadly accident days ago.
Family members of 11 victims of the grisly road accident on April 8 said the unfortunate accident was the fifth to happen in the town and despite that there have been no effort to plan the town.
The bereaved who spoke at the service organsied in Migori county stadium said the death was a shock and each time they pass through the town along the busy Migori-Isebania highway they get traumatised.
“We need pedestrian walkways in the town, and stop careless parking of matatus, motorbikes and lorries in the area, Zachariah Asiago who is brother to the late Gideon Ogeti, a victim, said.
Relatives of George Omieno, a victim said it is a matter of time before another accident happens in the area and it should be averted.
Asiago asked the county government to fill the Migori-Isebania road with bumps, to avert future accidents.
“We will live to remember the road because of what is had done to my brother Gideon. He has left a young family and his first child is in form one,” Asiago said.
Ruben Lugali who is the father of Margret Adema, woman who was thrown into River Migori by impact said he was shocked when he received the news of his daughter’s death.
According to Lugali, his daughter who has left behind five children was heading home when she met her death.
We have a major problem in Migori town of traffic snarl up and poor planning, we are afraid if nothing is done we will see worse off cases, Lugali said.
The requiem mass was held for eight bodies as one, Wycliffe Odhiambo who is the cousin to Standard Group correspondent Caleb Kingwara had been buried on April 9 according to Muslim customs.
Another body is lying at Ogembo hospital’s morgue as two unidentified bodies are still lying at Migori County Referral Hospital’s morgue.
During the requiem mass, County Secretary Oscar Olima said they had brought in pathologists as they also asked residents to help in the identification of the two unclaimed bodies.
“They are male adults who are middle aged and they are still reserved at the morgue,” Olima said.
Governor Ochilo Ayacko said despite the Migori-Isebania A1 road being a responsibility of the national government, they would work together with the government to ensure that they mitigated future road accidents.
“We want an emergency measure taken to have bumps erected on those roads. If we had bumps, perhaps the truck that lost its brakes would have slowed down and not caused such an accident,” Governor Ayacko said.
The governor vowed to have all business people doing trade along the road to move as he promised his administration would give them alternative trading areas.
On April 8, an ill-fated truck which was ferrying rice towards Sirare from Nairobi had lost its brakes while at Kakrao center as the driver shouted and waved at passersby and motorists to give way, before hitting two who fell into river Migori by impact at Migori bridge and plunged into a crowd in Migori town.
Rt. Rev. Capt. Reuben Katite who led the requiem mass reminded mourners at the mass that their days have already been determined and the months of their lives in God’s hands.
The county government bore the cost of the requiem mass and clearance of mortuary bills.