Mnangagwa declares Kwekwe fuel tanker crash a national disaster

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the fatal accident involving a fuel tanker, a two-tonne truck, and a van near Kwekwe, which claimed 12 lives, a national disaster.

The tragic collision occurred at the 200-kilometre peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Road near Sebakwe River. According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the fuel tanker with two trailers, traveling towards Kwekwe, collided head-on with a truck coming from the opposite direction. This caused the tanker to strike a Nissan AD van carrying 12 passengers.

The tanker dragged the van for several metres before overturning and falling on top of it, trapping all 12 occupants inside.

Police have released the names of eight victims: James Ncube (23), Marvellous Mapanzure (20), Emilly Mpofu Mucheuki (25), Joshua Muza (35), Reward Nyatsongo (28), Farai Bisendi (47), Emmanuel Mangomana (21), and Maria Jasi (43). Four female victims are yet to be identified.

In a statement, President Mnangagwa expressed his condolences and announced the declaration of the accident as a national disaster.

"My heart goes out to families that have lost their loved ones in this horrific accident. Equally, I wish a speedy recovery to all those nursing injuries from the incident," said Mnangagwa.

He explained that the disaster declaration allows the government to take full responsibility for the burial of those who perished and to provide support to those hospitalized.

"May all the bereaved and other affected families find comfort and solace in knowing that our Nation joins and mourns with them in this hour of deep grief and pain," the President added.

Mnangagwa also called on the public to support law enforcement efforts to curb reckless driving, which he described as a major contributor to the rising toll of road fatalities in Zimbabwe.

"The deadly incident adds yet another grim statistic to the needless toll which reckless driving levies on our people and our Nation," Mnangagwa said.

While commending the Zimbabwe Republic Police for the speedy rollout of advanced traffic management technologies, he stressed that more must be done to reduce road accidents.

"The duty for safe traffic conduct squarely falls on all road users, while the responsibility to call out reckless road-users includes the general public who should support our law enforcement agencies to tame what in essence has become a traffic jungle," Mnangagwa concluded.

The government's disaster declaration marks a crucial step towards coordinated relief and support efforts in the aftermath of this devastating accident.