Police warn against night driving

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has urged motorists to avoid travelling at night, warning that reduced visibility and poor observation conditions are contributing to a rise in fatal road traffic accidents across the country.

The appeal follows Thursday night's tragic crash along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway that claimed the lives of Highlanders Football Club chairman Kenneth Mhlophe, vice-chairman Sifiso Siziba, treasurer Nkani Khoza and a female supporter.

According to police, the Ford Raptor in which the four were travelling struck a cow before colliding head-on with a bus, resulting in the fatal accident.

In a statement, the ZRP said it had noted with concern an increase in deadly road accidents occurring at night, particularly on the country's major highways.

"The Zimbabwe Republic Police has noted with concern the increase of fatal road traffic accidents occurring during the night throughout the country, especially on the highways," the police said.

The force cautioned motorists against travelling after dark, saying poor visibility significantly increases the risk of collisions.

"This is even made worse by animals such as cattle, donkeys and others which are criss-crossing the roads and posing serious danger to motorists. Some farmers are also contributing to the accidents by driving cattle through the roads or leaving cattle to graze on road verges, leading to road traffic accidents," the statement said.

The police urged Zimbabweans to carefully plan their journeys to minimise the risk of road crashes.

"The Zimbabwe Republic Police totally discourages Zimbabweans from travelling or driving at night. Instead, families, football teams, individual drivers and institutions should plan journeys to curtail road carnage," the ZRP said.

Authorities also called on livestock owners to ensure that cattle, donkeys and other animals are properly secured and prevented from straying onto roads.

"The Zimbabwe Republic Police will intensify engagements with traditional leaders, farmers and other stakeholders to ensure that animals do not travel or are driven onto the roads recklessly," the statement added.

The latest warning comes amid growing concern over road safety in Zimbabwe, where collisions involving stray livestock continue to claim lives, particularly on highways during the night.