Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway to death

The road carnage in this country has gone to unprecedented heights while we continue paying lip service to measures of curbing it. According to statistics revealed recently by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Obert Mpofu, at least 785 people perished in road accidents in the first half of this year.

Such a figure is quite worrisome and warrants a real commission of enquiry. If the year progresses at this alarming rate, we could probably end up with more than 1 500 casualties by end of the year. In 2011, the country lost 2 000 lives in road traffic accidents. According to the 2012 Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe report, five people die every day in traffic accidents.

These statistics come in the wake of the Bubi crash that claimed 19 lives along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway. May their souls rest in peace. The same road had claimed the precious life of a prolific journalist, Mernat Mafirakureva the previous week. Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge highway claimed the greatest chunk of the accident victims mainly due to its deplorable state coupled with the high volume of traffic that plies it.

The highway is the busiest road in the country since it is the gateway to the ports. It has become the lifeline of the country and its neighbours such as Zambia and Malawi. Despite this great economic contribution, the road has not received the attention it merits for some years. The road is increasingly getting narrow and narrow.

It is not that the government has neglected the road. The road was uppermost on the priority list for rehabilitation and the tender was awarded to Zim-Highway Consortium in 2002. Zim-Highway Consortium failed to fund the project prompting the government to withdraw the offer, a move that the former contested in the courts. The court case has delayed the dualisation of the road.

As people are perishing in this road, those who own Zim-Highway Consortium might realise how much they have contributed to the carnage in the past 10 years. It might also probably dawn on the judiciary that their delay in resolving the wrangle has contributed to the carnage. For how long should the people of Zimbabwe perish just because the case is before the courts? It is high time the President of this country intervene to save lives.

The highway used to be one of the best in Zimbabwe and those from Masvingo region were known for their Masvingo necarpet colloquial. Today the road is a death trap to an extent that it's now christened the highway to the grave or the highway of death. Some sarcastically call it Masvingo nestrip. Cry our beloved highway.

While we await the rehabilitation of the highway, certain measures ought to be taken to curb the fatal accidents. The government must enact a law that limits the movement of public transport to a certain time. This can be from 5am to 6pm. Most of the accidents in the highway happen at night or the wee hours of the morning. The Bubi accidents for instance happened around 3am.

It is more difficult to see during the witching hours, regardless of the weather. In most cases, the drivers would be more tired and their reaction times are slower. It is also during this time that you have the greatest chance of meeting drunk drivers.

There must be strict enforcement of traffic rules. Unfortunately the numbers of roadblocks seen along the highways do not translate into reduced traffic accidents. The law enforcement agents must not only be visible on the highways but must be very effective. Even if it means increasing penalties for traffic offence, let it be as long as it saves life. Still the speed limits on that road must be brought down further for now.

It will also help if haulage trucks are stopped from using the highway and let them use alternative routes which are wider. For instance, the Bulawayo-Gwanda-Beitbrigde is wide enough to accommodate high volumes of haulage trucks. Of course it is a longer route but it's worthwhile if lives are going to be saved.

One motorist who arrived at the scene of the accident when only three people had died said some lives could have been saved if the ambulance had swiftly responded. There should be some ambulances that are dedicated to responding to traffic accidents.

As the Heroes holiday draws near, more accidents are expected as more people will be travelling to different places. The month of August is associated with blood as it is the month that the nation commemorates those whose blood was shed to liberate this country. According to traditionalists, more blood is characteristically shed during this time.