President mourns Kwekwe accident victims President Mnangagwa

Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has sent a condolence message to the families of six people who died after a truck rammed into a commuter omnibus along the Kwekwe-Gokwe Highway on Monday afternoon.

Six people died on the spot while nine others were injured when a truck rammed into a commuter omnibus.
Five people who were aboard the Kwekwe-bound Nissan Caravan died on the spot while another one died upon admission to Kwekwe General Hospital.

Nine others who were injured were admitted to the same institution where they are receiving treatment.
Police are yet to release the names of the victims and President Mnangagwa has since directed the Government to chip in and assist in the burial arrangements.

In a statement, the President said he learnt with deep sorrow and grief of the fatal accident.
“I learnt with deep sorrow and grief of a fatal accident where six people died while nine others were injured. On behalf of Zanu-PF, the Government, my family and indeed on my own behalf, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased,” he said.

“In the same vein, I wish the injured a speedy recovery. I have since directed Government to assist with burial arrangements for the deceased.”

President Mnangagwa said the continued loss of lives due to road traffic accidents largely as a result of human error, is a worrying trend and urged motorists to exercise caution ahead of the festive season.

“As we enter the festive season, I appeal to all Zimbabweans to be responsible and vigilant on our roads to avoid costly accidents. I call upon motorists to always ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy and urging them to avoid speeding, overloading and drunken driving,” he said.

President Mnangagwa also implored police to be in full force to curb wayward behaviours by motorists to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the accident happened at the 60km peg, just outside Kwekwe.

“The ZRP confirms a fatal road traffic accident which occurred at the 60km peg along Kwekwe-Gokwe Road on 3 December 2022 at around 1pm where six people died while nine others were injured,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said the vehicles were both heading towards Kwekwe.
“The driver of the truck, a Scania was heading towards Kwekwe with one passenger on board when he rammed into a Nissan Caravan vehicle, which was also travelling in the same direction with 14 passengers on board. Five passengers from the Nissan Caravan vehicle died on the spot, while another died on admission to Kwekwe General Hospital,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi

According to an eyewitness, the driver of the commuter omnibus reportedly stopped in the middle of the road to attend to a faulty boot which had suddenly opened.

“The driver of the commuter omnibus was travelling towards Kwekwe when the boot accidentally opened. He stopped in the middle of the road since there was no lay-by or any other safe spot for parking,” said the witness.

“The driver of the truck did not see that the omnibus had stopped in front of him and he rammed into it.”
Another witness, who declined to be named said he strongly suspected that the driver of the truck could have been on the phone.

“There was no oncoming vehicle on the other lane and surely the driver of the truck could have seen the commuter omnibus stopping in front of him. He must have been on the phone or something,” he said.

In July, three people died on the spot while 12 others were injured when a commuter omnibus they were travelling in veered off the road, rolled several times and landed on its roof along the same highway.

The accident, involving a Toyota Quantum commuter omnibus, occurred just outside Kwekwe near Sable Chemical industries.

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