Zimbabwe: Mnangagwa Declares Multi-Vehicle Collision Which Killed 12 a National Disaster, Victims Named
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the fatal accident involving a fuel tanker, a two-tonne truck and a van, which claimed 12 lives near Kwekwe, a national disaster.
The accident occurred at the 200 kilometre peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road near Sebakwe River.
According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the fuel tanker with two trailers, travelling towards Kwekwe, collided with a truck travelling from the opposite direction, resulting in a head-on collision with a Nissan AD van, which had 12 people on board.
The tanker dragged the van for several metres before overturning and falling on top of it, trapping the 12 occupants inside.
Police have released names of eight of the victims – James Ncube (23), Marvellous Mapanzure (20), Emilly Mpofu Mucheuki (25), Joshua Muza (35), Reward Nyatsongo (28), Farai Bisendi (47), Emmanuel Mangomana (21) and Maria Jasi (43).
Four females are yet to be identified.
In a statement, Mnangagwa declared the accident a national disaster.
“My heart goes out to families that have lost their loved ones in this horrific accident. Equally, I wish a speedy recovery to all those nursing injuries from the incident. I have since directed the responsible arms of my Government to declare this traffic accident a national disaster.
“This crucial legal step paves the way for Government to move in and take all-round responsibility for the interment of all those who perished the accident, and for support to those hospitalised. May all the bereaved and other affected families find comfort and a solace in that our Nation joins and mourns with them in this hour of deep grief and pain,” said Mnangagwa.
He urged the public to support law enforcement in addressing reckless driving.
“The deadly incident adds yet another grim statistic to the needless toll which reckless driving levies on our people and our Nation. While I am pleased that the Zimbabwe Republic Police is moving speedily towards a full deployment of high-end technologies for traffic management, and for curbing waywardness on our roads, more still has to be done to arrest the ever-spiralling fatalities we face as a Nation.
“The duty for safe traffic conduct squarely falls on all road users, while the responsibility to call out reckless road-users includes the general public who should support our law enforcement agencies to tame what in essence has become a traffic jungle,” added Mnangagwa.
By New Zimbabwe.
