Father and four sons who died in Migaa accident laid to rest

A cloud of grief engulfed Kawese village in Kisumu West on Sunday, January 28 as five family members; a father and his four children who perished in a road accident on December 31, 2017 were laid to rest.

Bishop Martin Odol and his four children died on New Year’s eve in a grisly road accident involving a Nairobi-bound bus and a trailer at Migaa in Salgaa, Nakuru County. Thirty-eight people perished in the tragic accident.

Odol, his wife Pheobe Achieng, and the children aged two months, two, eight and 14 years were returning to Nairobi from Christmas holiday at their rural home.

Achieng was however the only survivor among the family members, but had to spend three weeks at the Nakuru County Referral Hospital receiving treatment.

Kawese residents thronged Odol’s home to pay the last respect to the man of God and his children, in a burial they described as the first of its kind in the area.

Mourners wailed and sobbed as they tried to come to terms with the magnitude of the loss.

Odol’s mother, Mama Joyce Mandera, 80, accompanied Achieng, who appeared emotionally strong, as they witnessed the final sendoff of their kin.

Nelson Kabaka, Odol’s first cousin, said the burial had been delayed to allow Achieng attend the burial and see her kins’ final resting place.

He said it also took time to raise money for the funeral expense, which saw several fund raisers held and donations sought from various quarters.

Mr. Odol was the only surviving child and breadwinner to her ailing and ageing mother, who termed his death and that of all his children as a blow to the family.