Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
GOVERNMENT will meet funeral expenses for 17 people who died in a horrific road accident near Mutoko Business Centre, Mashonaland East, on Sunday afternoon.
Eight members of the Rutsito family and six from the Chitimbe family died in accident while three people have not been identified. Both families from Mutoko were travelling on holiday.
The accident occurred at the 130km peg along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway where a white Isuzu KB double cab truck belonging to the Rutsito family and travelling towards Murehwa, collided head-on with a BMW vehicle in which the Chitimbe family had hiked a lift and was going towards Mutoko.
Fourteen people died on the spot while three died on admission to Mutoko hospital.
Of the 17 victims, eight were reportedly from the Rutsito family while six were from the Chitimbe family.
Director in the Department of Civil Protection Mr Nathan Nkomo said Government will assist in the burial of all the deceased.
“To those with funeral policies, Government will assist with $2 500 per head and for those without funeral policies, Government will avail coffins and transport.
“To those who are hospitalised, Government will assist by meeting all the medical bills,” he said.
When our Harare Bureau arrived at the scene, the wreckages of both vehicles had not been removed.
A member of the Rutsito family in Mutoko, Mr Munyaradzi Kabasa confirmed that eight members of his family died in the crash.
“We are pained by this unexpected death, which took away eight people from our family. Masimba Rutsito was my brother and was aged 39. He and his family had come home to visit from Harare. On their way back, that is when they met their fate.
“He was driving the Isuzu double cab and in the car were twelve people who included his wife Audrey Mavhunga, his children Malcom, Naishe and Makomborero. Also in the car was our uncle, Simbarashe Mapuranga and his wife Grace Madzinga together with their child Samuel Mapuranga. All these perished in the accident.
“Those who were injured are Kupakwashe and Maxwell Rutsito, Patricia Mapuranga and one Gamuchirai who was a maid to Masimba’s family. They have been transferred to Parirenyatwa Hospital and they are critical. They need prayers. We are in great pain.”
He said the family was yet to deliberate on the burial arrangements.
Our Harare Bureau also managed to track down the Chitimbe family in the same Mutoko District.
Dozens of mourners were already gathered at the Chitimbe homestead.
The Chitimbe family lost six members, Abigail Chitimbe (30), Nyasha Chikuza (7), Tawananyasha, Major Mushumbi (7), Sandra Kanobata (19) and Ngaakudzwe Nkolomah (1).
Chitimbe family spokesperson Mr Richard Chitimbe said they have already finished burial arrangements.
“My sister Abigail and her two children Nyasha and Tawananyasha had visited a relative in Tabudirira, a few kilometres from here. She took with her, three of my elder sister’s children Major, Sandra and Ngaakudzwe.
“On their way back, they were given a lift in a BMW vehicle which collided head-on an Isuzu vehicle. They all died.
The family is in pain. We were looking forward to seeing them here yesterday, only to receive the bad news.
“We will bury them tomorrow (today). We are appealing for any kind of assistance from well wishers to help in conducting burial of our family members,” said Mr Chitimbe in tears.
The Mashonaland East Department of Civil Protection yesterday requested the Government to declare the accident a state of disaster.
Mashonaland East Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Aplonia Munzverengwi, sent a message of condolence to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Online Reporter