Samia mourns 23 crash victims
IRINGA: PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed the Police Force to intensify enforcement of road safety regulations, urging drivers and other road users to exercise caution and comply with traffic laws to prevent avoidable road accidents.
Dr Samia also expressed condolences to the families of 21 people killed in a deadly road crash involving a passenger bus and a cargo truck at Masumbo area along the Iringa-Mbeya Road in Iringa Region.
In a condolence message issued yesterday, President Samia said she had received the news of the crash with great sadness, extending her sympathies to Iringa Regional Commissioner Kheri James, the bereaved families, relatives and friends, as well as all Tanzanians affected by the tragedy.
President Samia prayed for God to grant the bereaved families comfort, patience and strength during this difficult period, while wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
“May Almighty God rest the souls of the deceased in eternal peace. Amen,” she said.
The crash occurred yesterday at around 7am at Masumbo junction in Kiponzelo, along the TANZAM Highway, when a Maokoto Express passenger bus collided with a cargo truck.
The bus was travelling from Wasa Village in Iringa District towards Iringa town when it reportedly developed a braking system failure as the driver attempted to join the main highway from a dusty feeder road.
Iringa Regional Police Commander (RPC), Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) Allan Bukumbi, said preliminary investigations indicated that brake failure contributed to the crash, leaving the driver unable to control the bus before it collided with the truck.
Eyewitnesses reportedly said the bus pulled onto the highway at high speed before the collision. The crash claimed 21 lives, comprising ten men, nine women and two boys aged between three and five years.
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Five other people sustained injuries and were rushed to different health facilities for treatment. RPC Bukumbi said one male victim was admitted to Iringa Regional Referral Hospital, while a woman was receiving treatment at Ipamba Designated Hospital.
Three other injured people were taken to Masumbo Dispensary in Fufu. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Iringa Regional Referral Hospital for preservation as further procedures continued.
The truck involved was a Scania lorry, registration number T859 DVK, pulling trailer number T495 DCA. It belonged to Overland Quick International Delivery Company and was driven by 64-year-old Gabone Kajunge Masele, a resident of Keko, Dar es Salaam.
The truck was travelling from Iringa towards the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). RPC Bukumbi urged motorists to observe traffic regulations and exercise caution when joining major highways from feeder roads to prevent similar tragedies.
He also reminded drivers using major highways to remain alert when approaching junctions, where other vehicles may join from smaller roads.
He said police would continue conducting vehicle inspections and monitoring motorists to enforce traffic regulations, stressing that mechanical fitness alone could not prevent accidents resulting from irresponsible driving.
Later on, yesterday, the Medical Officer-in-Charge of Iringa Regional Referral Hospital, Alfred Mwakalebela, said the death toll from the accident had risen to 23, while four people sustained injuries, comprising three women and one man..
