Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
President Mnangagwa has declared the tragic road accident that claimed 17 lives and left three others injured, along the Harare-Chitungwiza Road on Tuesday, a National Disaster.
Government is now moving to assist with hospital bills for those injured and funeral arrangements for the deceased.
In his condolence message yesterday, the President said he had learnt of the accident with “horror and disbelief”, while consoling the bereaved families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
“I learnt with horror and disbelief about the bloody traffic accident which occurred yesterday at Manyame Bridge, along the Chitungwiza Highway, at which 17 innocent Zimbabwean lives perished.
“The crash, which involved a truck and a commuter omnibus painfully reminds us as a nation of the multiple hazards which continue to stalk our roads, many of which can easily be prevented through responsible driving and effective enforcement of traffic rules.
“I have directed that the Manyame Traffic Accident be declared a National Disaster in order to allow Government to move in and assist with hospital bills for those injured, and funeral arrangements and burials for those we sadly lost in the accident.
“As I condole with all the bereaved families, I wish those hospitalised speedy recovery,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe could not continue to lose lives in such horrendous ways due to sheer recklessness and persistent gaps in law enforcement on the country’s roads.
As such, the President directed all Government institutions concerned with traffic enforcement to introduce new measures that ensure similar tragedies do not recur.
“The modest returns on measures we have relied upon, to date, to restrain bad conduct by road users, all to bloody outcomes, must now make way for new and more robust measures which deliver results.
“Once worked out, these new, strong measures must be applied and enforced across the entire gamut of our institutions concerned with lawful and responsible road use, and should be enforced without fear or favour,” he said.
“My directive is to get all Government institutions concerned with traffic enforcement, and our Courts, to be properly aligned on this one matter so this seeming endless, yet avoidable bloody spiral on our roads is brought to an immediate end.”
President Mnangagwa said the time had now come to raise the stakes against guilty parties, as “the costs of bad behaviour on our roads must simply outweigh whatever bizarre benefits those responsible think they derive from reckless driving”.
“How many more lives do we need to lose for our consciences to be aroused?” said the President.
With Heroes and Defence Forces Holidays around the corner, the President urged all motorists and other road users to conduct themselves in a responsible way so that the country does not continue to lose precious lives needlessly.
“Together, and through a shared sense of responsibility, we will tame what has now become a bloody traffic jungle on our roads and thoroughfares,” he said.
