18 people perish on roads nationwide

was 41.
Cde Sikanyika died around 11pm on Sunday when his vehicle, a white Nissan Cedric veered off the road and rammed a tree near the 105-kilometre peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road.
The woman he was travelling with has been identified as Mary Saidi Sabiti (age not given) of Bulawayo.
Cde Sikanyika’s death brings to 18, the number of people who died in road accidents countrywide from Friday until yesterday.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri, yesterday said 102 traffic accidents were recorded between Friday and yesterday, claiming 18 lives and injuring 95 people.
He said 154 vehicles with varying defects were impounded countrywide.
Supt Phiri said over 4 500 tickets were issued to motorists who committed various offences.
“Most of the accidents were caused by negligent driving,” he said.
Mashonaland West provincial police spokes-person, Inspector Clemence Mabwgeazara, confirmed Cde Sikanyika’s death, adding that investigations were in progress.
“As police, we can confirm the death of Robert Sikanyika and Mary Saidi Sabiti when the vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road and hit a tree about 2km before Chegutu,” he said.
It is suspected that Cde Sikanyika failed to negotiate a bend on approaching the 105km peg and the car veered off the road before it rammed a tree.
The two died on the spot and were taken to Doves Funeral Parlour for a postmortem.
The vehicle was extensively damaged.
Mashonaland West Governor and Resident Minister Cde Faber Chidarikire yesterday described Cde Sikanyika’s death as a sad loss to the party as he was playing a leading role in restructuring and re-organising the party.
“On behalf of the party and Government I would like to say his death is a sad loss and we have lost a hardworking man who we were relying upon to restructure the party and direct it in the province” he said.
Cde Chidarikire said Cde Sikanyika’s death, who earlier in the day chaired a meeting of the party’s coordinating committee, had left a void in the party. Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.