27 KILLED IN HORROR CRASH NEAR CHIVHU
TWENTY-SEVEN (27) people have died after a commuter omnibus collided head-on with a haulage truck on the 130-km peg along the Harare-Masvingo highway on Friday night.
By Desire Tshuma
The death toll from Friday night’s horrific road accident near Chivhu has risen to 27 after two more victims succumbed to their injuries in hospital, turning an already devastating crash into one of the country’s latest mass-casualty road tragedies.
The accident occurred about 15km south of Chivhu along the Harare–Masvingo Highway when a commuter omnibus and a haulage truck were involved in a head-on collision. Twenty-one people reportedly died at the scene, while four others later lost their lives in hospital after sustaining critical injuries in the crash.
The commuter omnibus caught fire following the violent impact, leaving emergency responders confronted with a particularly gruesome rescue operation. Two survivors, including the haulage truck driver, are reportedly in critical condition and remain in hospital receiving treatment.
The circumstances leading to the collision remain unclear, with police now investigating what caused the two vehicles to collide head-on. Investigators are expected to examine several possible factors, including speeding, dangerous overtaking, driver fatigue, loss of control, mechanical failure and road conditions.
Authorities have also indicated that the commuter omnibus was carrying more passengers than permitted, raising concerns over compliance with passenger safety regulations. However, police have not yet confirmed that overloading was responsible for the crash, and investigators will have to establish whether it contributed to the severity of the tragedy.
The fire that broke out after the collision is also expected to form part of the investigation, particularly as authorities work to establish how the blaze started and why so many passengers were unable to escape.
The latest disaster has once again put Zimbabwe’s road safety crisis under the spotlight, with public transport vehicles and heavy haulage trucks continuing to account for some of the country’s most devastating crashes. Road safety concerns surrounding speeding, reckless overtaking, fatigue, overloading and vehicle roadworthiness remain a major challenge, particularly on major highways connecting Zimbabwe’s cities and towns.
For families affected by the Chivhu crash, the rising death toll has brought renewed grief as authorities work to identify the deceased and provide information to relatives. Police are continuing with investigations into the accident, while further details are expected as authorities establish the full circumstances surrounding the deadly collision.
The Chivhu crash has once again delivered a grim reminder that a routine journey can become a fatal encounter within seconds—and that stronger road safety enforcement remains urgently needed.
Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the tragic accident.
“Yes, we confirm a fatal road traffic accident which occured at the 130-km peg along the Harare-Masvingo highway, near Makumimavi Primary School, yesterday. Twenty-seven people died. We will release more details about the accident later,” Comm Nyathi said.
