Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General (Retired) Levi Mayihlome, who is also the legislator for Umzingwane constituency, has announced that a planned Day of Prayer against fatal accidents along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge road has been postponed.
In his latest updates to the Umzingwane community, the Deputy Minister said the ceremony will wait until all April crash victims are identified and laid to rest.
The event had been planned for this Sunday and meant to bring together families, churches and traditional leaders to pray for road safety and healing.
This follows a series of devastating road traffic accidents, which include the recent incident that occurred near Ethandweni area at the 27 km peg.
“Owing to situations beyond our control and to show respect to those bereaved families who have not yet positively identified their relatives who perished on April 16, 2026, near Ethandweni on the 27km peg along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge road, it has been found necessary to postpone the Umzingwane Day of Prayer to a later date,” said the Deputy Minister.
“It is desirable to make this particular day a way of healing and closure. Therefore, we do not believe we can have closure when other families are still to find and give their beloved relatives a decent rest”.
He outlined some of the steps that should be done before the ceremony, which include waiting for the April 16 crash victim to be identified first and laid to rest.
The Deputy Minister also indicated that Umzingwane chiefs will consult each other going forward.
In addition, he indicated all church denominations, including representatives of those who died at Mawabeni Bridge on Good Friday and the 22 people who died in 2023, will be invited to a stakeholders’ meeting in Umzingwane District, coordinated by the District Development Coordinator.
“A date and programme for the ceremony will be agreed after the above steps are completed,” he said.
The Bulawayo-Beitbridge and Beitbridge Harare highways are some of the country’s deadliest roads, with frequent fatal accidents linked to speeding, human error and vehicle defects.
Of late, community leaders have been pushing for prayer days and road cleansing ceremonies as part of efforts to reduce deaths on these major highways.
