MOMBASA/KISUMU – What was meant to be a final farewell turned into another wave of grief for the Technical University of Mombasa community on Friday, after two students lost their lives in a road accident along the Kisumu-Nairobi highway.The students were travelling to Awasi in Kisumu County to attend the burial of their colleague, Elvis ‘Beast’ Otieno, who served as the students’ body chairman at TUM.
Otieno had passed away two weeks ago.University officials confirmed that the two were part of a group making the long journey from Mombasa to honor their chairman one last time.
Details around the crash are still emerging, but the accident happened on the busy highway that connects western Kenya to the coast.The news has left TUM students and staff reeling.
In just two weeks, the university community has now lost three of its own — first their elected leader, and now two students who were going to lay him to rest.
“Beast was someone who stood for all of us,” one student said. “And now we’ve lost more people who loved him enough to go and say goodbye.” The university has announced counseling support and is working with families to assist with funeral arrangements.
Flags at the institution were lowered, and students gathered Friday evening for a vigil, remembering all three.The tragedy has also renewed calls for road safety along the Kisumu-Nairobi highway, a route many students and families use during school holidays and funerals.
For now, TUM mourns again — not just a leader, but the friends who were on their way to honor him. Renewed Calls for Road Safety. The tragedy has renewed urgent calls to improve safety along the Kisumu-Nairobi highway.
Road safety advocates note that the highway records frequent accidents, especially involving long-distance buses and night travel.
Authorities are reminding motorists to: Avoid speeding and overtaking Recklessly take breaks on long journeys — the Mombasa to Kisumu trip is over 10 Hours ensure vehicles are roadworthy before travel avoid night travel where possible, especially during rainy weather NTSA and local leaders have in the past flagged this stretch for black spots and have called for more patrols, rumble strips, and public awareness during school holidays and funeral seasons.
