The bodies of five students of Mbihi Girls High School who died in a road accident in Naivasha on Tuesday have been transferred to Kisumu as their families make burial plans.
School principal Jael Lisamukha said parents and school management are working together to plan the burials.
"We have been struggling to get the bodies closer home before embarking on burial plans,” Lisamukha told the Star on the phone.
“The school Board of Management and the Parents Teachers Association will be meeting in our school over the same issue.”
In an earlier statement, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu said the ministry will take charge of the medical expenses of the injured students and burial costs.
Vihiga leaders, led by Governor Wilber Ottichilo, Senator Godfrey Osotsi, Woman Representative Beatrice Adagala and Vihiga MP Ernest Kivai were among those who sent their messages of condolence.
Osotsi in his statement said, “I have received with profound shock the news of the death of five Mbihi Girls High School students on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway."
"I want to send my heartfelt condolences to the families, the school fraternity and Vihiga county at large for the tragic loss of the young souls.”
He said it is disturbing that the country has in recent days witnessed numerous fatal road accidents. "The NTSA and all agencies involved must promptly deal with this crisis in the transport sector,” he added.
Osotsi said he will stand with the school fraternity, parents and the community.
Governor Ottichilo said, “My heart goes out to the affected families for this heavy loss. On behalf of the Vihiga government and the people of Vihiga, our condolences go to the families that have lost their children.”
He urged road users to be cautious and follow traffic rules to avoid accidents.
Earlier this week, it emerged that the students had complained about speeding by their driver before the accident occurred in Naivasha.
On Tuesday, a matatu ferrying 11 hit a trailer near Delamere farm in Naivasha, killing five of the girls on the spot.
Vihiga MP Kivai said they would be meeting CS for Roads and Transport over an increase in road accidents along Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
“We are concerned over rising cases of accidents and we shall support the parents in transferring the bodies to Nairobi and Vihiga as requested,” he said.
Adagala had challenged traffic police to intensify their crackdown on speeding drivers and defective vehicles.
