Police have released the names of the eight people who died on the spot when a Toyota Fun Cargo and a Toyota Voxy collided head-on seven kilometres outside Chegutu on Tuesday. The tragedy struck at around 9:45am along the highway between Chegutu and Chinhoyi.

Four people were seriously injured. Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the eight had been identified by their next of kin.

They are Kudakwashe Mutovani (24), Ephraim Musonza, Tichaona Black, Tonderai Mwale, David Bafana (40), Irvine Tamukiwa (27), Gift Kajuni and Gilbert Magwira.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police regrets the continuous loss of life through road carnage. May their souls rest in peace,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba. The Fun Cargo, which had eight passengers on board, dislodged a right front lower ball joint, resulting in the driver losing control and encroaching into the lane of the oncoming Voxy.

Five of the deceased were in the Fun Cargo, while the remainder were in the Voxy. Police attributed the accident to a mechanical fault. The injured were ferried to Chegutu District Hospital and two of them were transferred to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare for further treatment. The Fun Cargo had just picked Chinhoyi-bound passengers in Chegutu when the accident occurred.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba has since warned motorists against speeding and overloading. The accident came barely three days after 12 people lost their lives in separate road crashes countrywide. source-herald