10 killed, 50 injured in accident

Shinyanga. Ten passengers were killed and 50 others were injured, some of them seriously, after their bus collided with a lorry in Shinyanga Region.

The accident occurred yesterday around 2pm at Ibingo Village, Samuye Ward in Shinyanga District.

The bus involved in the accident, named ‘Unique Express,’ was heading to Tabora from Mwanza. It collided head-on with a ‘Coca Cola’ lorry, which was coming from Tinde heading to Shinyanga.

Speaking with reporters at the scene of accident, Shinyanga Regional Police Commander Justus Kamugisha, said the bus driver was in high speed and that he lost control and hit the lorry, which was also in the middle of the road.

“The bus was in high speed to the extent that the driver could not control it, he ended up colliding with the lorry and causing deaths of nine people on the spot… another person died while receiving treatment at Shinyanga Regional Hospital,” said the RPC.

He explained that the lorry driver had been arrested and the bus driver was unconscious at the hospital.

“The two drivers are alive, one is under police custody and another is fighting for his life in hospital,” said RPC Kamugisha.

According to him, police were forced to hire a crane to assist in retrieving some passengers who were still in the mangled bus. He said most of them were found already dead from the injuries and excessive bleeding.

He asked passengers to report reckless drivers immediately in order to avert accidents and save people’s lives.

Some eye witnesses said the bus was moving in a very high speed and that it was impossible for the driver to avoid the accident.

The Samuye Ward councillor Mr Amos Shija, said they heard people screaming in agony after the bus collided with the lorry.

Another eye witness Mr John Bundala, asked the government to take serious measures against reckless drivers including banning them from driving passenger vehicles.