By Tichaona Katsvamutima
The devastating human cost of the Chivhu road disaster has come into sharper focus after police released the identities of 25 victims, revealing a heartbreaking trail of children and people sharing surnames and addresses among the dead.
The death toll has risen to 28 after another passenger succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at Chitungwiza General Hospital, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed.
But behind the rising toll lies an even more painful picture — children as young as two are among the victims, while several names from the same villages and addresses appear together on the list of the dead.
“The death toll has risen to 28 following the death of one of the injured passengers who was admitted at Chitungwiza General Hospital,” police said.
Among the victims are five people bearing the Magiya surname, all from Chakahwata Village in Seke — Tanaka, approximately 11; Talent, approximately 13; Adiel, approximately two; Nenyasha, approximately four; and Mellisa, approximately 39.
The tragedy also struck Zhanje Village in Dema, Seke, where four victims bearing the Bonda surname were identified as Rumbidzai Kashongo Bonda, 29; Believe Bonda, 10; Tehila Bonda, approximately two; and Tavonga Bonda, approximately eight.
Another cluster involves victims bearing the Chikaka surname.
Wisdom Chikaka, 10; Kuzivakwashe Chikaka, 12; Tariro Chikaka, 14; and Shamiso Chikaka, eight, were all listed as coming from Churu Farm in Glen View, Harare, while Humfrey Chikaka, 44, was listed as being from Dema, Seke.
Other children among the dead include Wisdom Masava, 13; Devine Masava, nine; and Tawanda Mupandawana, two.
The accident occurred at around 8.30pm on August 28 at the 132-kilometre peg along the Harare-Masvingo Road near Chivhu.
Police said 25 of the 28 victims have now been identified by their next of kin.
The Chivhu tragedy comes against a grim backdrop of road carnage elsewhere in the country.
On the same night, at around 8pm, four people were killed and 12 others injured when a Toyota Hilux carrying nine passengers collided head-on with a Nissan AD Van carrying five passengers along the Roy-Buffalo Range Road near Chiredzi.
The two tragedies claimed 32 lives in a matter of hours, adding to mounting concern over the continuing loss of life on Zimbabwe’s roads.
