Two people have passed away in a stampede that occurred at Busia Governor Paul Otuoma’s home during a Christmas gifting event held on December 23.
The grieving families of the two are now demanding thorough investigations into the demise of their loved ones, who had hoped for Christmas gifts.
The deceased were an 81-year-old woman and a 67-year-old man living with disabilities, with several others injured in the incident.
The event reportedly turned chaotic when the residents began challenging each other for the food, which led to the stampede.
Rispa Anyango, the daughter of the 81-year-old woman who passed away from the stampede, narrates how her mother horrifically lost her life.
“She fell, and people stepped on her chest; when we finally rescued her from the stampede, she was not breathing,” the daughter revealed.
Afrikanus Wanyama, the brother of the 67-year-old who also met a similar fate at the governor's residence, says that people pushed his brother in the stampede.
“My brother was in his wheelchair; when things escalated, people pushed him down,” Wanyama revealed.
The family of the 81-year-old claims there were attempts to secretly move the body of the deceased family member to a local funeral home, but family members refused, insisting that police must be involved.
The family of the 67-year-old also reportedly refused a similar move and only agreed to remove the body of the late brother from the Governor’s residence until police arrived at the area.
The bodies of the victims of the stampede are currently at the Busia County Teaching and Referral Hospital funeral home, as those who sustained injuries receive treatment at the hospital.
Members of the Busia County Executive visited the injured victims of the stampede at the hospital on December 23.
The families are now calling upon the government to intervene and help them as they grieve on Christmas.
