By Nyang’au Araka
As the bright sun danced overhead, sometimes playing hide and seek with the clouds, a deep sense of grief enveloped Rangenyo Primary School grounds, Nyamira County on Friday.
Hundreds came from far and wide, then gathered for the joint burial of nine members of one family killed in a tragic road accident recently.
The dead had been travelling back from a wedding in Kakamega when their journey ended in tragedy.
Among the deceased were Richard Kebaso and his wife Leah Bosibori, born in 1948 and 1958 respectively, the parents of the bride whose wedding celebrations had turned into a season of mourning.
Their deaths, alongside those of seven close family members, have left a painful void in Rangenyo village.
Early Friday morning, the bodies were collected from the Nyamira County Referral Hospital mortuary and transported to the school grounds under tight security from police and administration officers.
Torrential tears flowed freely as the caravan found its way to the grounds.
The nine white, fully sealed caskets were laid beneath a twin conical white tent, each bearing a photograph of the deceased.
Mourners walked past slowly, many in silence, others pouring more tears as they paused to look at the images resting atop the coffins.
As the sun climbed higher, the crowd continued to grow, stretching beyond the capacity of the white tents and chairs provided.
Many mourners sat in the open, shielding themselves from the heat as choirs led hymns and songs that echoed across the grounds.
The sombre mood was palpable.
Leaders who addressed the gathering did so under close security, and chose their words carefully, keeping their speeches as short as they could.
Those present included Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, West Mugirango MP Stephen Mogaka, former Chief Justice David Maraga, Kisii Governor Simba Arati, North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko, and Nyamira gubernatorial aspirant Walter Chanua.
Funeral programmes bearing short eulogies of the departed and been prepared and published by the Nyamira County Government, and were distributed to mourners.
KPC understands that the county government supported the burial arrangements with Sh1 million, while President William Ruto also sent a similar contribution, gestures that were acknowledged during the service.
Several other leaders including Mogaka actively supported the bereaved during their lowest moments.
Beyond the main ceremony, signs of survival unfolded as vendors sold water and refreshments, boda boda riders transported mourners, and photographers documented the day; small reminders of life continuing even in grief.
The tragedy has renewed concern over road safety, particularly during the festive season when traffic increases.
Government agencies including the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the traffic police have heightened vigilance on the roads.
The nine’s burial came amid a series of fatal accidents, including another recent crash that claimed several lives along Kisii-Chemosit Road.
Government agencies have urged motorists to exercise caution, and obey traffic rules, warning that recklessness on the roads continues to cause avoidable loss, a lesson etched into Rangenyo’s collective memory.