Late on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at roughly 6 p.m., a fatal multi‑vehicle collision occurred at Namba Kapiyo on the Kisumu–Bondo Highway, claiming the life of famed preacher Gilbert Deya.
Accident Details
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Three vehicles were involved:
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Toyota Noah/Voxy, driven by Deya;
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A Moi University bus carrying students;
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A Siaya County Government Toyota Fortuner.
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The Toyota Noah veered into the opposing lane, colliding head-on with the university bus. The bus then swerved off the highway, overturning, and was also struck by the trailing Fortuner.
Emergency teams from Kombewa, Chulaimbo, and St. John’s Ambulance rushed to the scene.
Casualties & Injuries
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Gilbert Deya (aged 72) sustained a fatal head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Two female passengers in his vehicle—reportedly including his wife—were treated for minor bruises at Kombewa Sub‑County Hospital.
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Moi University students suffered the worst impact: about 15 were critically injured, with others sustaining minor wounds; many were transported to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital, while others received care at Kombewa.
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The Fortuner’s occupants, including George Nying’iro, escaped largely unharmed.
All damaged vehicles have been impounded and taken in for police investigation. A post‑mortem on Deya has been ordered, and authorities are probing causes ranging from possible mechanical failure to driver error.
Who Was Gilbert Deya?
Born on February 2, 1937, in Juja, Kiambu County, Deya emerged as a charismatic preacher who later moved to the UK in the mid‑1990s, founding Gilbert Deya Ministries in cities such as London, Liverpool, and Manchester.
He made headlines claiming the power to help infertile women conceive through prayer, earning national and international notoriety—the so‑called “miracle babies.” However, investigations in the early 2000s uncovered a troubling child‑trafficking ring masquerading as miraculous births: DNA tests proved none of the children were biologically theirs. His wife, Mary (Eddah) Deya, was convicted for stealing a baby.
Despite facing charges of child trafficking and sexual misconduct in both the UK and Kenya, Deya was acquitted in the UK (2014) and later in Kenya (June 2023), after legal systems failed to provide sufficient evidence.
Deya’s death brings an end to one of Kenya's most controversial religious sagas. His ministry, once under scrutiny by the UK Charity Commission (2004, 2016), was placed under interim management in 2021. Although he spent his later years away from the limelight, his passing has reignited national debate about the intersection of faith, legality, and accountability.
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