Police have named 18 of the 31 people who died in a road traffic accident involving a bus and a commuter omnibus near Kwekwe, along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway last Thursday.
The accident has since been declared a national disaster and Government, through the Civil Protection Unit (CPU), pledged to meet all funeral expenses.
In a statement yesterday, chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the other 12 people were still to be identified.
“The ZRP would like to inform the nation that 18 victims of the fatal road traffic accident which occurred on March 3, 2015 at the 232km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road near Kwekwe have been identified,” she said.
Those identified are Mhuka Mashura (Kwekwe), John Wireless (Bulawayo), Gift Chirape (Bulawayo), Lister Nyathi (Kwekwe), Palmen Manzini (Kadoma), Lawrence Tsvuura (Harare), Jane Nyanhete (Harare), and Micah Makause (Sanyati). All their ages are not known.
Others are Nashly Kamwendo (10 months) of Kadoma, Fanuel Kwashire (78) of Bulawayo, Nyasha Sibanda (20) of Kadoma, Sipiwe Mashababe (58) of Zhombe, Willard Nyota (48) of Murehwa, Epi Nyoni, Zihle Ncube, Bekimpilo Tshuma, Prince Mabhena (34) and Bonisile Mabhena (34).
“The other 12 are yet to be identified. Police are appealing to those who are missing their relatives to proceed to Kwekwe General Hospital and identify the remaining unidentified 12 bodies,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.
Last week, President Mugabe expressed grief over the loss of the 31 lives in the road traffic accident.
In a statement, the President said the current wet spell had created treacherous conditions on the roads, requiring that drivers and motorists exercise maximum care and responsibility.
The same wet conditions, he added, enjoined owners of vehicles, especially those catering for the commuting public, to ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy.
Meanwhile, three mourners died in another road traffic accident involving a pick-up Ford Bantum on Saturday at around 1:15am in Rutenga.
The Ford Bantum was travelling along Neshuro-Matibi Road with seven passengers and a dead body on board.
“On approaching the 1km peg, the driver failed to drive up a steep slope and the vehicle rolled backwards until it fell into Chishonga River.
Three passengers who were in the loading box drowned while the other four passengers managed to swim out of the river,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said