School stampede survivor died of lung injuries — pathologist

Salma Oleso of Kakamega Primary School was buried on February 11, 2020. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Salma died on Monday at home soon after she was discharged from hospital.

  • She was released to go home with her mother Zaitun Amwai in stable condition, only to develop complications when she got home.

Kakamega pupil, who passed away soon after she was released from hospital, died of complications related to lung injuries, pathologist Dickson Mchana said Tuesday.

Salma Bilal, 10, was laid to rest at the Muslim Cemetery after prayers at Amalemba Mosque on Tuesday afternoon.

This brings to 13 the number of victims, who have been buried following the shocking incident.

Salma died on Monday at home soon after she was discharged from hospital.

She was released to go home with her mother Zaitun Amwai in stable condition, only to develop complications when she got home.

Ms Amwai said her daughter left the hospital in high spirits shortly after 3pm. They arrived home at around 5pm. An hour later, she was dead.

“We left the hospital and got home and her friends came to visit her. She told me she was feeling hungry and I served her tea and bread,” she said.

Ms Amwai said her daughter then went to play with her friends but developed breathing problems before she collapsed and died.

The distraught mother rushed Salma back to the emergency unit at the hospital but it was too late as efforts to revive her failed.

“When my daughter finally left the hospital and came home, I was overjoyed that doctors had done their best to ensure she fully recovered and joined the family. But I didn’t know she had come home and would be gone forever,” she said.

Her death brings to 15 the number of pupils who have died from the incident, which was reported to have been triggered by a stampede along staircases as the pupils were leaving their classrooms to go home.

Twelve of her colleagues have been laid to rest while three, Catherine Aloo from Shitsitswi in Butere sub-county, Bertha Munywele from Esumeya in Navakholo and Lavenda Akasa from Lurambi are set to be buried on Saturday.

Those already buried are Antonete Iramwenya from Senende in Vihiga County, Simon Waweru from Molo in Nakuru County, Prudence Elizabeth (Navakholo sub-county), Venesa Adisa (Lurambi sub-county).

Others are June Nakhumicha from Lurambi sub-county, Joseph Musami (Ikolomani sub-county), Naila Kiverenge (Lurambi), Prince Vermaline (Khwisero), Fidel Kumbutie (Malava) and Samuel Simekha (Bunyore in Vihiga County).