Chamisa, Mwonzora Mourn Seke Road Crash Victims

Two of the country’s opposition leaders have spoken out following the horrific road accident along Seke Road that claimed the lives of 17 people near Manyame Bridge with both expressing condolences while sharply criticising local authorities for poor emergency preparedness.

Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa described the tragedy as a national heartbreak, urging unity and action in its wake.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident along Seke Road that claimed the lives of 17 of our fellow citizens. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families who have lost loved ones, and to the entire nation, now burdened with this painful and traumatic loss,” said Chamisa.

“This is a painful moment for our nation, and we mourn together. May the souls of the departed rest in peace, and may comfort and strength surround every grieving family,” he added.

Chamisa also called for sustained efforts to improve road safety and emergency response in the country.

“We must continue to work toward safer roads and a more compassionate society where every life is valued and protected. We are praying for all those injured and affected, and we stand with you in this time of grief. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the first responders, emergency services and the dedicated hospital staff who continue to serve tirelessly, even under the most difficult and almost impossible conditions,” he said

MDC leader Douglas Mwonzora echoed the condolences but did not mince his words about what he described as a catastrophic failure by the Harare City Council and Chitungwiza Town Council.

“On behalf of the MDC, we would like to send our sincere condolences to the families of the people who perished in the accident at Manyame Bridge yesterday. We note with dismay that the rescue efforts were hampered by lack of equipment that both Harare City Council and Chitungwiza Town Council must have possessed,” he said

Mwonzora accused councillors across the political divide of prioritising personal gains over public safety.

“The Councillors from both the CCC and Zanu PF who are the city fathers are busy packing themselves with allowances which they are giving themselves during seminars and other welfare available and neglecting to buy that which helps the people too.”

He, however, commended the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe for stepping in to assist with funeral arrangements.

“We would like to laud the philanthropic gesture by the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) to assist the victims with a decent burial. We hope that both the City of Harare and the Chitungwiza Town Council are going to live to their responsibilities to protect our people. For quite a long time the victims were trapped under the vehicle and there was no crane that was deployed at that point in time. That is truly despicable,” he said.

The crash, which involved a haulage truck and a commuter omnibus has triggered a wave of grief and anger, renewing calls for investment in urban emergency response equipment and more stringent traffic safety regulations.