By Staff Reporter
The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased passengers in the ZUPCO bus disaster that occurred a few kilometers outside Kwekwe on Monday.
Seven people were killed, while 55 others were injured when a bus from the state-owned Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco), two kombis and a Honda Fit vehicle collided at the 290km peg along the Kwekwe-Harare highway on Monday afternoon.
In a statement seen by Nehanda Radio, MDC Secretary for Transport, Settlement Chikwinya said “The MDC wishes the injured a speedy recovery and hopes that the skeletal hospital staff at our government medical institutions would find it in their hearts to assist.
“We in the MDC continue to believe that such accidents are avoidable if the government would observe set out procedures of ensuring that all passenger vehicles are road-worthy.
“The argument currently proffered by government spokesperson Mr. Nick Mangwana that the bus was “newish” and hence did not require any Inspection by VID is not only insensitive to the situation at hand but speaks to an uncaring government that has no sense of imagination and appreciation of how dangerous an un-roadworthy vehicle can be to passengers and other road users.
“The MDC reiterates its position that due to the high costs of medical care for the injured and funeral costs for the deceased and more so the costs of keeping up the families of those left behind by the deceased, a Road Accident Victims Fund should be actualised without delay to take care of costs for the victims of such circumstances.
“This call has been made since 2018 but the current uncaring government continued to ignore such a genuine policy that will ensure some modicum of care to victims of road accidents.
Chikwinya said a government led by the MDC would have established “such a Road Accident Victims Fund from proceeds of an agreed percentile of Road access fee without necessarily passing on the burden of cost to the motorist.”
“Drivers of mass passenger vehicles are once again reminded to observe all road rules to minimize increasing the risk of accidents claiming many lives in the event of any occurrence. May the souls of the deceased rest in peace while we pray for those injured to recover with speed.” Nehanda Radio
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