Staff Reporter
GWERU – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared the Gweru commuter omnibus inferno tragedy that claimed the lives of seven schoolchildren a national disaster.
The accident also left 11 other children including the driver hospitalised. The President has once again appealed to all road users to exercise caution on the roads to avoid more tragic accidents, which have recurred with frequency in the last 30 days.
He wished the hospitalised pupils speedy recovery.
The declaration will enable Government to mobilise resources and provide immediate support to bereaved families and injured survivors.
In a statement the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Martin Rushwaya said the President had been briefed of the tragic accident.
“In expressing his deepest, heartfelt condolences to the affected families, His Excellency the President has directed that this grisly accident be declared a National Disaster to allow government room to move in and mobilise resources for immediate assistance to the bereaved families and all those hospitalized,” the statement said.
The accident occurred when a commuter omnibus ferrying infants from Matongo Primary School caught fire in Senga, Wednesday afternoon.
Police said the commuter omnibus had been carrying 24 children at the time of the accident.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the vehicle may have been carrying a petrol jerry can believed to have caused the fire.
ZRP Acting Officer commanding Gweru District Superintendent Rosemary Gete who was at the scene of the accident said 18 children were rescued from the commuter omnibus.
“We appeal to motorists not to carry inflammable substance like petrol in public service vehicles,” she said.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Midlands chief director Jameson Machimbira expressed concern at the way children are ferried to and from school.
“They are bundled in unroadworthy vehicles like this one which had fuel inside posing a risk to children,” Machimbira said.
He appealed for a full investigation into the incident and also review on the condition of vehicles that are permitted to ferry children to and from school.
Machimbira said further investigations had established that there were children from two other schools believed to be Early Childhood Development Centres.
The driver of the commuter omnibus Malcom Kupa said the petrol belonged to another commuter omnibus driver he had offered transport.
A witness said they had rushed to the scene to assist children.
Police said investigations continue.
