By Farai Chikore
CHINHOYI – Eight people have died following a tragic head-on collision on the Harare-Chirundu Road on the afternoon of July 17, 2026.
The accident occurred at the 110-kilometre peg, near the Chinhoyi Provincial Heroes Acre.
Police initially reported seven fatalities, but the death toll later rose to eight, who include four females and a seven-month-old baby boy
The bodies of the deceased were taken to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examinations. The number of injured is still being established as victims continue to receive treatment.
According to details shared with Chinhoyi Member of Parliament, Engineer Leslie Mhangwa, the sequence of events is both tragic and complex.
The owner of the Nissan AD van said the vehicle had been parked while the employed driver was having lunch. During that time, an unauthorized tout allegedly took the vehicle, loaded it with passengers, and began driving from Banket towards Chinhoyi.
The van was later intercepted by police at a roadblock. While impounding it, a police officer took over the wheel to drive the impounded vehicle — with passengers still on board — towards Chinhoyi.
Moments later, the van was involved in a violent head-on collision with an oncoming commuter omnibus, commonly known as a kombi.
Investigations into the exact circumstances surrounding the crash are ongoing.
