Own Correspondent|The death toll in the accident involving two commuter omnibuses on the Harare – Nyamapanda road has increased to fourteen with three more people dying at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.

Eleven people died on the spot and several others were seriously injured yesterday when the two commuter omnibuses collided head-on.

The accident occurred at the 49km peg along the highly dilapidated highway late on Sunday afternoon.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been dilly dallying in finalising contracts to redo the highway which runs from Beitbridge to Nyamapanda.

Since Mnangagwa took over power from former President Robert Mugabe in November last year, two contractors have unceremoniously been dismissed from working on the road without doing even a centimetre on the road.

The financially crippled government has reported that it will now take over the construction of the road on its own.

In between scores of people have been dying on the road which is experiencing frequent horrific accidents.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the rise in the death toll.

Police said the accident happened when one of the commuter omnibuses burst a tyre and encroached onto the lane of the other driving in the opposite direction, resulting in the head-on collision.

Asst Comm Nyathi said details of the accident were still sketchy as police were attending the scene in the Murehwa area.