On Monday this week, hundreds of people thronged the site where on October 30 last year, the most horrific traffic accident in living memory for the people of Chipinge occurred at which 24 people lost their lives.
Those in attendance participated in a mass prayer to cleanse the place and appealed to the higher spiritual being to remove the spirit of death pervading the country as we approach the Easter and Independence holidays.
Different denominations led by their pastors went on a spiritual journey as the Manzvire community re-lived the horrors of that day and a family representative, Mr Mashapa, urged the authorities to build a structure in memory of the deceased and put a memorial plaque with names of the dead just like at the Regina Coeli and Musani road disaster sites.
Reverend Godfrey Dhundu, the vice-president of UCCZ; Chipinge District Administrator Cde Edgar Seenza; Chipinge South MP Cde Enock Porusingazi; Chief Vhusani Musikavanhu, Civil Service Commissioner in Chipinge Mr Maxwell Jenya and Education Inspector Locardia Meda were among the crowd that braved the chilly weather to witness the mass prayer which many observers felt was long overdue.
Rev Mushonga quoted the Bible, Ecclesiastes 9:5, and urged people to mourn with the full knowledge that God will never abandon his people even when a road seems to lead to a cul-de-sac.
The Traffic Safety Board representative urged people to take care of their livestock lest they contribute to the road carnage that claims over 2 000 lives annually in Zimbabwe. She said plans are underway to rid the highway of livestock by impounding any cattle found along the major roads. If one wants his cattle back, then he has to pay for the service rendered by Government.
Further to that, Cde Seenza and Cde Porusingazi said there would be concerted efforts by the Government to ensure that a memorial structure is built at the site. Cde Porusingazi urged the traditional leadership to consider doing its own ceremony that will help to cleanse the area.
He lamented the fact that road accidents continued to claim innocent lives in the area. He gave the example of a Rimbi woman who was a victim of a freak road accident when she was hit by a reversing car that had passed her only to stop and reverse and hit her dragging her for some metres; she was rushed to hospital but died on her way there.
Chief Musikavanhu urged people to look after their livestock; livestock-induced accidents would be a thing of the past. He reiterated that a traditional cleansing ceremony must be undertaken at the site without delay. That was greeted with much applause from the crowd.
Through song, poetry, powerful mass prayers, the men and women of cloth appealed to the Almighty God to destroy the spirit pervading the country that takes pleasure in destroying lives through road accidents. Vehicles are good when we are transported from one point to another without incident but at the rate accidents are occurring, the vehicle appears to be a curse rather than a blessing.
A love offering was proposed by the treasurer of the multi-denominational gathering; $103.52 was raised from the gathering and it is going to go toward the expenses of the memorial service that will be held at the Mlambo and Kumbani family households on April 19, this year.
It is hurtful that to date, science has been unable to use DNA testing to ascertain the identities of some bodies that were burnt on that fateful day in October last year. Six months on, there are fresh wounds in the minds of the relatives who suffered terribly from the demise of their loved ones. To that end, speaker after speaker stressed the need for the community and the nation to be alive to the need to give comfort to those who are still hurting from the tragedy that visited the tranquil corner of Chipinge.
The victims died as they were burnt to death in the fireball that ensued after a Greenfuel haulage truck loaded with ethanol collided head on with a Madza T35 truck ferrying mourners.
What pained most is that the accident comes at a time when a ray of hope was beaming across the Lowveld area following the re-opening of the giant ethanol plant as well as the gazetting of the 10 percent ethanol mandatory blending. Among the victims, the bulk of them were family members and relatives and thus the impact of this tragedy definitely cascaded down into the community. This is a major disaster to hit the area in recent years.
However, when accidents like these happen, a lot of lessons must be learnt in order for humanity to devise precautionary measures and serve lives in future. Such incidences must be avoided. The authorities should be reminded that the establishment of the ethanol plant meant that disaster management systems must also have been put in place.
A holistic approach which involved all stakeholders should be effected to ensure that as the nation benefits from the production of ethanol in Chisumbanje, lives need to be protected in the event of disasters of such a magnitude.
This calls for the speedy development of life-saving facilities such as hospitals and fire tenders. Those who witnessed the accident said people watched helplessly as the victims were burnt in the inferno.
There was nothing to put out the fire. Had there been fire tenders in the vicinity something could have been done to minimise human and property loss. Road accidents are claiming lives daily and the police have constantly urged drivers to exercise caution and drive well.
The Government through the relevant ministry has also been urged to upgrade the Chisumbanje highway as some parts of the roads have potholes.
Friday 11 April 2014
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