By Tichaona Katsvamutima
A journey to a church conference ended in tragedy on Friday night after 27 African Apostolic Church (Mwazha) congregants were killed when their commuter omnibus collided head-on with a haulage truck along the Harare–Masvingo Road.
Seven other people were injured in the crash, which occurred at around 8:30pm at the 132-kilometre peg near Makumimavi Primary School in Chivhu.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police said the congregants were travelling from Dema to Mvuma for a church conference when tragedy struck.
“The kombi was carrying church congregates from African Apostolic Church (Mwazha) who were proceeding to Mvuma from Dema for a church conference,” ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said in a statement Saturday.
Police said the Nissan Caravan NV350, which was carrying an unspecified number of passengers, collided with a foreign-registered Volvo haulage truck.
Preliminary investigations point to an overtaking manoeuvre by the truck immediately before the collision.
“It is alleged that the foreign registered truck was trying to overtake another vehicle,” Nyathi said.
Police say the names of those killed will be made public in due course.
“The names of the victims will be released as soon as the bodies are identified by their next of kin,” Nyathi said.
