Eight dead, dozens hurt in 24- hour highway horror

In a devastating 24-hour period, two catastrophic head-on collisions on major highways claimed eight lives and left over twenty people injured, with police attributing both tragedies to driver error and dangerous manoeuvres.

The deadly spree began on Tuesday along the Harare-Mutare Road, where a Freightliner truck driver, attempting to overtake, slammed into an oncoming Mazda Bongo near the 195 km peg.
The impact killed the driver and all three passengers in the Bongo instantly. A fifth passenger was severely injured.

Hours earlier, on Monday along the Harare-Mukumbura Road, a Nissan Latio veered into the path of an oncoming Mercedes Benz Sprinter minibus at the 86 km peg. The collision killed all three occupants of the Latio and one passenger in the Sprinter, injuring twenty others.

National Police Spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, issued a stern statement.

“The sheer loss of life in these two incidents is both heartbreaking and utterly avoidable,” said Commissioner Nyathi.

He said, “Preliminary investigations point squarely to human error, a deadly overtaking manoeuvre in one case, and a loss of control in the other. This is not bad luck; this is bad driving. We are once again appealing, we are begging motorists: the rules of the road are not suggestions. Overtaking on blind rises or curves, speeding, and driver fatigue are killing our people. This recklessness must stop.”

The bodies of the four victims from the Mutare road crash have been taken to Rusape General Hospital for post-mortem. In the Mukumbura road tragedy, the four deceased were conveyed to Bindura Hospital. All injured victims from both accidents are receiving treatment at the respective hospitals.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has reiterated its call for disciplined driving, warning that the current rainy season demands increased vigilance on the roads.