Double Tragedy: Homa Bay Man Dies in Road Accident While Preparing Mother’s Funeral
Jackson Otieno Okuthe had just arrived from Mombasa, where he worked as an agent for a clearing and forwarding company. His homecoming was bittersweet—he had returned to Kanyangasi Village, North Kabuoch, Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County, to prepare for his mother’s burial.
His family welcomed him last weekend, sharing light moments as they finalized funeral arrangements. Jackson, 46, took it upon himself to ensure everything was in order. One of his priorities was to have his siblings dressed decently for the burial and to ensure they could properly welcome mourners.
Part of his preparations included taking clothes to a laundry in Homa Bay Town, planning to collect them ahead of his mother’s burial on April 4. He also needed to repair his car, which had a mechanical issue with one of its front tires.
On Tuesday morning, Jackson left home and drove to Homa Bay Town. He stopped at a garage on the Homa Bay-Kendu Bay Road, leaving his car under a mechanic’s care. From there, he took a motorcycle to the laundry.
He had also planned to eat his favorite meal, omena, at a local food kiosk near the bus park. While at the eatery, he received a call from a friend, who was waiting for him on the opposite side of the bus park.
As he walked across to meet his friend, tragedy struck.
Jackson was hit by a matatu at the Homa Bay Town bus park on Tuesday evening. He was rushed to Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital but died upon arrival.
His body now lies at Med 25 Mortuary in Kirindo, the same facility where his mother, Mary Auma, is also preserved. Ms. Auma had passed away on March 3. Now, mother and son will be buried together on April 4.
His friend, Elly Okello, recalled how Jackson had called him on Monday, saying he had arrived a few days earlier and wanted to meet. The two spent time together on Tuesday morning before Jackson left for town.
“I was expecting to see him later that day,” Okello said. “Then I got a call that he had been in an accident. We rushed to the hospital, only to learn he had died.”
Witnesses at the scene described hearing a loud bang. First responders found Jackson pinned under a car that had come from Migori. They manually lifted the vehicle to pull him out before rushing him to the hospital.
It later emerged that the car was being driven by a tout. The actual driver had stepped out to pay county fees, leaving the engine running. Spotting potential passengers, the tout jumped into the driver’s seat to get to them before competitors. In his rush, he lost control and hit Jackson.
Homa Bay Sub-county Police Commander Emmanuel Kiplagat confirmed the tout fled the scene. Police arrested the driver, and the vehicle was towed to the station. The driver was later released on police bail and is set to take a plea on April 8.
Kiplagat warned that drivers leaving engines running has led to multiple accidents in the past. “Drivers should switch off their engines and take out the key,” he said, urging the public to assist in locating the fleeing tout.
Jackson’s brother, Daniel Okuthe, expressed the family’s grief. “My brother Jack, as his friends called him, was a man of the people. We have lost a jewel.”
In Other News: Wetangula Announces Ksh.1 Million Prize for Chiefs Leading ID and Voter Registration in Bungoma
Double Tragedy: Homa Bay Man Dies in Road Accident While Preparing Mother’s Funeral
