By Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has officially declared the tragic Gweru commuter omnibus accident which claimed the lives of seven primary school pupils in an inferno on Wednesday a national disaster.
The declaration allows the Zimbabwean government to mobilise emergency resources and provide immediate financial, logistics, and medical assistance to the affected families.
The devastating incident occurred near Senga Shopping Centre in Gweru when a commuter omnibus carrying 25 pupils from Matongo Primary School caught fire, trapping several children inside.
Seven learners died in the inferno after being unable to escape the burning vehicle. Their bodies were reportedly burnt beyond recognition.
Seventeen pupils were initially rescued from the vehicle, while 11 injured learners and the driver survived and were rushed to hospital for treatment.
Preliminary investigations by police suggest that a container of fuel being transported inside the omnibus may have ignited after coming into contact with the vehicle’s batteries, triggering the deadly blaze.
In a statement issued by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, the government will provide state-assisted funerals for the seven deceased pupils, covering all burial-related expenses.
Authorities will also ensure that adequate medical support is provided for the injured learners and the driver receiving treatment.
President Mnangagwa expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families, the school community and the nation at large, describing the loss of young lives as heartbreaking.
The Head of State also called on transport operators and motorists to exercise maximum caution on the country’s roads amid growing concern over the increasing number of fatal road traffic accidents.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves across Zimbabwe, with messages of sympathy and support pouring in for the affected families as the nation mourns the loss of the seven young learners.